Chapter 738: On the Eve of the Decisive Battle in Da Nanzhou

Dananzhou, Liuli Fucheng.

This prefectural city lies in the middle of the twenty-seven prefectures; by rights, even if Da Nanzhou were breached by demons and monsters, it would be the last to suffer.

Yet all three Southern-Subduing Generals remain stationed here.

This also proves from the side that Da Nanzhou no longer needs these three lords to rush about and station themselves separately to prevent accidents wherever they arise; instead, it requires concentrating all strength so that when the greatest peril appears, they can reach it in the fastest time.

It was noon.

Yang Mingli and Yan Lanting were flipping through tattered ancient texts; these collections recorded the long-standing demon calamities of Da Nanzhou, and only after crossing the long river of time could they gradually trace the whereabouts of that indigo figure from scattered fragments of words.

Relying solely on these ancient records, it is naturally very difficult to find the weaknesses of the Southern Emperor.

Even if found, they might not be applicable to the current Southern Emperor.

But since the imperial court has yet to respond, let alone send aid, these two old men could only resort to this desperate measure; it was truly a solution born of having no other choice.

Just then, Lady Lady Feng Xi walked in quickly from outside, holding two letters in her hand: "The Imperial Capital has replied."

This was clearly something long awaited, yet there was no joy on this beautiful woman's face.

She gently placed the opened letter on the table; the letter bore the seal of the Immortal Department.

The two elders raised their eyes together, their gazes swiftly scanning the characters on the paper, then they furrowed their brows in unison.

The reply from the Immortal Department was extremely formal.

The letter praised the current stable situation in Dananzhou and spared no words of commendation for the group of Southern-Subduing Generals, leaving no flaw to be picked.

But the problem lies in the fact that it neither mentioned sending reinforcements nor offered any substantial reward to that Southern Yang General.

It was simply a letter going through the motions.

"Heh."

Before Yan Lanting could speak, Yang Mingli first closed the ancient text in his hand and said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes: "This is not Your Majesty's style of conduct."

How could that Human Emperor, who dared to bet the Divine Dynasty on the table and gamble his life with the Immortal Court, be stingy with such things?

"It's not as if the Immortal Department has privately swallowed up our Da Nanzhou's belongings," Yan Lanting raised an eyebrow.

It is common knowledge that the Immortal Department was founded by the Human Emperor himself; even the imperial court cannot inquire into its affairs. The lord in charge of the Immortal Department, Lin Shuyi, is the Human Emperor's most trusted confidant, promoted by him to his current high position, with absolutely no thought of disloyalty.

How would these people have the audacity to scheme behind the Human Emperor's back?

"Then that is strange." Yang Mingli clicked his tongue, confusion surfacing in his eyes. According to the content of this reply, the Human Emperor certainly holds no grudge against Southern Yang, yet the concrete actions taken make it somewhat incomprehensible.

"Look at this."

With a cold, beautiful face, Lady Lady Feng Xi placed the second letter on the table.

This letter bore no seal, nor even a signature; obviously, it was not sent in an official capacity, but since it arrived together with the Immortal Department's letter, who else could the writer be but Lin Shuyi?

"All of you guarding Da Nanzhou have merit and hardship; this official has seen it all. After reading your letters, besides surprise, I also feel a certain bitterness. Someone inexplicably escalated the situation, making this matter impossible to handle."

"After much thought, since the matter cannot be handled, why persist in sacrificing your lives for it?"

"While you three uphold your duties, remember to preserve your lives as much as possible. Keep your useful bodies to serve the imperial court. If the day truly comes when that step is reached, return to the Imperial Capital; I imagine Your Majesty will not blame you three."

After finishing reading the letter's contents.

The two elders fell silent.

If this letter was truly written by Lin Shuyi, then its value would be immense, great enough to exchange for the lives of three Southern-Subduing Generals.

In the current situation, being able to leave a way out for us; anyone who sees this cannot help but sigh that Lord Lin is benevolent and righteous.

"Quickly put it away; keep it to save your lives."

Yan Lanting picked up the letter and shoved it into Yang Mingli's arms.

"Keep it, you second uncle!"

Yang Mingli angrily slapped away the old rascal's hand; at this time, he still deliberately tried to disgust him, so petty; one wonders if all these years of cultivation were fed to dogs.

He stood up abruptly: "What a 'matter cannot be handled'."

These words sound true; do not look at how Dananzhou remains as stable as before, but when that day truly comes, we indeed feel helpless, otherwise we would not have sent a letter to the imperial court requesting aid.

But in this letter, whether it is the phrase "someone inexplicably escalated the situation" or the later deliberately pointed-out "you three," it all sounds like it carries a flavor of sowing discord.

Three? Dananzhou has four Southern-Subduing Generals.

The missing one is naturally that "someone."

"Since the Transmission of the Law, it was 'a matter cannot be handled'; at that time, he was still a titled general."

"But now, he still remains in Da Nanzhou; I see that Da Nanzhou is getting better and better."

The Immortal Department is the most trusted office of the Human Emperor, and Lin Shuyi controls the Immortal Department; to say he is second only to one and above ten thousand is no exaggeration.

Yet his handwritten letter now lightly fell to the ground, stepped on by Yang Mingli in a single step.

Facing this so-called way out, the three of them did not even take it seriously.

As for what to do if the matter cannot be handled, just as Yang Mingli said earlier, that person still remains in Dananzhou; even a young genius who just entered the Zhan Yao Si does not fear the risk, so what harm is there for us old things with no future to stay here and accompany him?

Inside the Liuli Prefectural government office.

With the entry of two figures, greetings rose up one after another.

"Lord Southern Yang!"

"Lord Southern Yang!"

Whether ordinary court officials or Zhan Yao Si officers, all put down their tasks and bowed respectfully.

After some time of fermentation, what exactly happened in Jianyang Prefecture on the night when the three Southern-Subduing Generals stationed at Songfeng Fucheng had already spread throughout Dananzhou.

That terrifying abyss, which might take many years to repair, proved the earth-shattering power of those Demon Venerables, but the completely undamaged Jianyang Fucheng revealed how terrifying this Southern Yang General was.

There are even rumors that since this general appeared, all demons and evil spirits have been awed by his reputation, and Da Nanzhou has not seen demons harming people for a long time.

Compared with the tragic news coming from the other three prefectures of Sanzhou, the current prosperous age appears even more precious.

"..."

Ye Lan followed behind Shen Yi, watching the undisguised joy on her many colleagues' faces, and could not help casting her gaze toward Shen Yi's profile.

The present situation could hardly be overstated as owing entirely to the one person before them.

But the situation was also nothing like the smooth sailing her colleagues imagined; Dananzhou's true great tribulation had yet to be crossed, and should anything go wrong, those smiling faces would in an instant turn into the despair of a gruesome death.

"Shen Zongzhu!"

Amid the monotonous chorus of address, one different voice suddenly piped up.

Shen Yi's steps faltered slightly; he turned to look.

What met his eyes was a youthful face still brimming with a boy's spirit. The other was dressed in the garb of a court official, yet his fists were tightly clenched, and he was so excited he looked rather like a child.

"Master Qingfeng?"

A faint smile appeared on Shen Yi's face.

Since parting ways at the Earth God Temple, it had been a long time since he had seen an old acquaintance.

"Introduced by the Earth God, this disciple now works in the government office."

Li Master Qingfeng hurried forward, introducing himself as he went, and carefully looked the young man before him up and down. Then he vigorously rubbed his flushed face and finally let out a long breath: "So it really is you!"

The fame of General Nanyang had certainly rung in his ears, but the specific details were few and far between.

Based solely on the description of the ink-colored robe and the handsome looks, together with that decisive, kill-or-be-killed style of doing things, and on top of that this familiar title, Li Master Qingfeng somehow felt that this General Nanyang matched more and more closely with the Shen Zongzhu in his memory.

Only the gap between the two was simply too vast.

After all, one was a native of Hongze who had just entered the Divine Dynasty, the other a great figure who had single-handedly pulled Dananzhou back from the brink.

The difference in cultivation was even greater, leaping all the way from the Dao realm to those lofty divine, buddha, and immortal venerables above, so much so that he himself felt the guess was somewhat absurd.

Until today, when he finally had the good fortune to see the true face, Li Master Qingfeng felt the skin of his face going numb.

That figure who had wrought such storms within the Nanyang treasure-land, now that he had come to the vast heavens of the Divine Dynasty, still stood above the firmament, tugging at the heartstrings of countless people!

"Senior brothers and sisters have all found themselves decent futures."

"And Miss Bai Wei—I heard she placed within the top hundred in the sect's grand competition, and was taken as a disciple by a seventh-rank Taiyi Zhenxian senior, who praised her as quite talented."

Li Master Qingfeng kept chattering as he followed the two of them.

Ye Lan listened, utterly baffled, unable to understand why one would address a Taiyi Zhenxian as 'senior,' and even less able to see what there was to praise about placing in the top hundred in the outer sect of some unknown minor faction.

After all, in a minor faction like that, let alone seeing the eight peaks of the Divine Void Mountain, even any random one of the several hundred surrounding peaks would be a holy land their own Shen Zongzhu spent his whole life seeking.

But she noticed that Shen Yi was listening very attentively, with no trace of perfunctoriness.

What Ye Lan did not know was…

The so-called senior brothers and sisters were merely at the Return-to-Void realm, not even having reached Dao Merging, and did not rank among the ninth grade; as for Miss Bai Wei, she was even more so a little cultivator at the Qi Refining realm.

That seventh-rank Taiyi Zhenxian, translated to Hongze, would be their very heaven.

Being noticed by such a figure was tantamount to being favored by the Heavenly Dao, and naturally a thing worth rejoicing over.

"And there's Little Lin Shimei too."

Li Master Qingfeng brought up another familiar face, and said helplessly: "She refused to enter an immortal sect, and went to learn her skills from a Zhan Yao Si demon-slayer, hoping that one day she could join Zhan Yao Si as well…"

Since the imperial court issued the Demon-Slaying Decree, Zhan Yao Si was no longer any secret.

Even a mere government office clerk like Li Master Qingfeng could learn a thing or two about it.

What he sighed over was that he himself had only guessed in his heart that General Nanyang was Shen Zongzhu, yet that little junior sister had actually been so certain, and had followed him without the slightest hesitation.

After finishing talking about Jiang Qiulan, Li Master Qingfeng finally noticed his mouth had gone dry, and could not help rubbing his head in embarrassment: "You know me, Shen Zongzhu—I just have a loose tongue, and the government office is so dull, I always liked sending letters to them…"

"That's good."

The corners of Shen Yi's lips lifted slightly; this Dai Sect's Zongzhu was far more dutiful than he himself.

"You go ahead with your business." Li Master Qingfeng also noticed several great figures approaching from the other end of the long corridor.

"We'll catch up again when there's time."

Shen Yi nodded, watched the other withdraw, and only then looked away.

"Why did he call you Shen Zongzhu? Which sect is it?"

Ye Lan's eyes were full of curiosity; she had finally found a chance to ask. Although she had known from the start that Shen Yi had gotten into trouble in Hongze and fled to the Divine Dynasty, she had never pressed for the specifics, never expecting there to be such a past.

"Nanyang Sect."

Shen Yi strode toward the several General Zhennan who had long been waiting.

Hearing this name, Ye Lan suddenly froze.

In an instant, she finally understood why Shen Yi knew in his heart that he owed the Divine Dynasty nothing, yet had always refused to leave.

Nanyang Sect, General Nanyang.

The disciples within his sect—some now cultivated in minor factions, some served in yamens, others wished to join Zhan Yao Si—but no matter what they were doing, all of them were within Dananzhou.

Once Dananzhou fell, then these people…

As their Shen Zongzhu, he had to stand before his disciples. The reason she had never been able to fathom turned out to be this simple and plain.

"You're back."

Yan Lanting looked at the young man before him with satisfaction. The three General Zhennan all wore smiles, yet by unspoken accord none of them brought up the matter of the Divine Dynasty's reply.

They did not wish to let this General Nanyang feel that it was because of him that they had lost any path of retreat.

As General Zhennan, they ought never to have had such a thing as a path of retreat in the first place.

Otherwise, where would the character 'zhen' (guard) even come from?

"Actually, we went through some old books in the archives and found the problem may not be as thorny as we imagined."

Yang Mingli picked up the thread: "According to these records, the Southern Sovereign was by nature cautious and never did anything without certainty. Even at the height of his ambition, when he clashed with the Sanxian Sect, he only dared to take revenge on those vassal forces that had been left behind…forces that didn't even count as followers of the sect. And after doing so, he immediately prepared to flee far away."

As his words fell, General Wushan, who had been waiting silently at the side, suddenly twitched the skin of his face. He pressed his lips together but said nothing more, and lowered his head again.

"By my reasoning, the yao race has suffered heavy losses with each incursion into Dananzhou. Given its temperament, it will most likely abandon the idea entirely, rather than seeking revenge in anger as we imagined."

Yang Mingli grew more and more certain as he spoke.

Even though he had never had any dealings with the Southern Sovereign, his many years of rich experience made it easy for him to judge a few things from those past deeds.

"None of your recent inferences have been correct." Yan Lanting tossed out a light retort.

"You old fool…" Yang Mingli was so angry his beard bristled and his eyes bulged, but unfortunately the other man was stating a fact, and for a moment he was choked and could not speak: "This time, this time is different!"

He could only look to Shen Yi for help, hoping the other man would put in a word for him.

"This time is the same."

Shen Yi gave a faint smile, stepped past the three of them, and patted General Wushan on the shoulder.

He wiped away his smile and said calmly, "It will definitely come."

As he spoke, the figure of that emaciated man draped in Bai Shan once again rose in Shen Yi's mind.

That Great Freedom Purifying-World Bodhisattva — a ruthless sort who dared to direct a host of bodhisattvas to lay hands on the righteous gods — how could he possibly allow the Southern Sovereign to return to the wilds?

"…"

Before the words had faded, the three Quelling-South Generals had all fallen silent at once, their faces slightly ashen.

As everyone knew, contrary to Yang Mingli, General Nanyang's judgments had never once been wrong to this day.

In other words, they were destined to face that demon sovereign who had lived for an unknown number of long years in the end.

"Please all of you take extra care."

Leaving behind those words, Shen Yi strode straight out of the government office.

Leaving only a thoroughly bewildered General Wushan, who stared blankly at his own shoulder… No, wait — say what you will, why did General Nanyang pat my shoulder? Acting as if the Southern Sovereign was something I, Wushan, had summoned!

(End of this chapter)