Chapter 1370

Su Yuchi and Hu Xiaotian

Hu Xiaotian's soldiers faced the surging tide behind them, their field of view extending two li, and most of the people at the rear of the team climbed Dragging Dragon Mountain.

Xiao Hui was at the rear of the team, observing the water line on the vast earth as the tide water rose.

Huo Shengnan and Zhuge Guanqi saw Hu Xiaotian leading hundreds of soldiers, with Xiao Hui, charging toward Dragging Dragon Mountain against the tide, water splashes flying everywhere, all the soldiers pressing forward.

Huo Shengnan could not wait any longer and rushed forward to meet him; Hu Xiaotian leapt off his horse, opened his arms, and Huo Shengnan, uncaring of the onlookers, threw herself into his embrace, tightly hugging his body.

Su Yuchi had also escaped the danger; of his over a thousand followers, about two hundred had not managed to get out. Although the losses were not small, if it had not been for Hu Xiaotian's prior warning, they would probably have been completely wiped out now.

Just then, Hu Xiaotian's gaze came from afar toward him. Su Yuchi gave him a faint smile, a smile that held too much meaning.

Dragging Dragon Mountain, Hu Xiaotian, Su Yuchi, flood, harvest, Prosperous Prefecture

Black Sand City lay amidst the marshland.

Xichuan and the Prosperous Prefecture faced a great calamity.

Hu Xiaotian snorted with disdain and said, 'I had already warned them. Not only did they not stop, they repaid kindness with enmity; letting heaven take care of such despicable villains is no loss.'

Yang Daoyuan, Guo Shaoxiong, Xichuan, Prosperous Prefecture, Looking Spring River, Suspended Yong River, Source-passing Bridge, large force

Hu Xiaotian had no intention of staying long here; seeing the floodwaters recede, he immediately bade farewell to Su Yuchi. Xia Zhangming, in the meantime, rode the Snow Eagle back to Ox Head Mountain once more, confident that Chang Fanqi and those soldiers had not encountered danger, though the floodwaters on Ox Head Mountain would likely take a while to fully recede, and their return would require a detour, heading east along the Suspended Yong River until they left the flooded area before heading south to reach Tongyuan Bridge and join the main force.

After parting with Su Yuchi, Hu Xiaotian headed straight south toward Tongyuan Bridge. Everyone's escape from death this time was thanks to Zhuge Guanqi's foresight; having predicted this crisis, if they had not made preparations beforehand, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Hu Xiaotian also understood that this disaster was man-made, not a natural calamity. He had originally thought it was the work of the Xingzhou faction, but judging from the direction Guo Shaoxiong fled, it likely had nothing to do with him. Suspicion against Xichuan could also be largely ruled out; after all, at the time Yang Daoyuan and the others fled westward, if the great dyke of the Suspended Yong River had been destroyed by him, he should have led his troops southward to escape.

Hong Beimo, Heavenly Mechanism Bureau, Wing Armor Warriors, Heavenly Mechanism Bureau's armory workshop

In Dakang, the Ordinary River and the Looking Spring River flowed side by side.

Not long after safely returning to Dongliang Jun, word came that Yang Daoyuan and Guo Shaoxiong had each returned safely. Though the two men had led charmed lives, their troops suffered heavy casualties; it was said that when Yang Daoyuan returned to Xichuan's side, he had fewer than a hundred men left, while Guo Shaoxiong was even more pitiful, with only a dozen or so followers surviving to return alive to Xingzhou.

The four‑way talks that Su Yuchi had convened, although they did not achieve his intended goal, turned out to be reasonably satisfactory; at least in the short term he need not worry about Hu Xiaotian stabbing him in the back. Compared among the three parties, Hu Xiaotian is his greatest hidden danger.

In fact, Hu Xiaotian also had his own calculations; to him, Su Yuchi was like a thorn in his back. He did not want to exacerbate their conflict at this juncture. On one hand he kept Su Yuchi appeased; on the other, he quietly sent people to Kangdu, using his influence to spread rumors detrimental to Su Yuchi—slander that accumulates until it destroys. As the rumors grew, the court would sooner or later suspect Su Yuchi of colluding with him. Often, eliminating an opponent does not require direct action; setting their rear ablaze is the truly clever tactic.

After returning, Chang Fanqi happened to bring a set of winged armor, one taken from the two winged-armor warriors attacked on the Xunyong River. Hu Xiaotian's followers also recruited many craftsmen, among whom one had once worked in the Armory Workshop of the Heavenly Mechanism Bureau. Although he had never personally fabricated armor, he was very familiar with the Heavenly Mechanism Bureau's markings. After carefully examining this set of armor, he concluded it was an imitation: although it bore the Heavenly Mechanism Bureau's insignia, the insignia concealed a secret—when sunlight struck it, the three characters 'Heavenly Mechanism Bureau' would refract into seven-colored light. Though the armor's workmanship was exquisite and almost indistinguishable from the genuine article, the carving of those three characters lacked sufficient care.

The demonic artisan Mo Jiang Zongyuan ruled Yongdu in the Great Yong.

Hu Xiaotian and Zong Tang were close friends; obtaining this answer was not difficult. He sent Xiong Tianba and Gao Yuan to Yongdu for a trip: first, to meet the demon craftsman Zong Yuan and verify whether this set of winged armor came from his workshop; second, to invite them father and son to come to Dongliang Jun to assist him. Although Hu Xiaotian had many artisans under his command, he still lacked a master‑level figure like the demon craftsman Zong Yuan and his son. If either of them were willing to help him, he would gain tremendous advantage, and many of his ideas could become reality.

Fragrant Heaven Kingdom, Flying Owl, Snow Eagle, Snow Eagle Valley, Yong River

Zhao Wusheng patrolled the banks of the Ordinary River.

Hu Buwei commanded the Dakang fleet stationed at South Ford Island.

South Ford Island is merely a small island five li long and three li wide, but because it is the most important supply station in the southeastern sea, merchant ships come and go incessantly, making it extremely lively. The island boasts a variety of businesses, thriving trade, and its prosperity and bustle are in no way inferior to those of mainland cities.

After the merchant ship had berthed in the harbor and the crew went to resupply, Hu Xiaotian, meanwhile, went to the island to leisurely wander with Zhao Wusheng and Xia Zhangming; Zhao Wusheng had voluntarily asked to come along this time—previously his duties kept him from venturing far, but now the army had Huo Shengnan in charge of logistics, the navy had Li Yongfu holding the fort, Dakang was busy with internal rectification, Da Yong was locked in fierce combat with Hei Hu, and Yunyang's Su Yuchi had also reached an agreement with them, so there was no worry of war in the short term; Zhao Wusheng also stole some leisure from his busy schedule and followed Hu Xiaotian to Heavenly Fragrance Country to broaden his horizons. (To be continued~^~)