Chapter 1772

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Senior, the wing armor has already been given to you; shouldn't you first call away that snake before we talk?" He wasn't worried about this light sword, but feared the Northern Swamp Old Monster might go back on his word.

Northern Swamp Old Monster gave a sinister laugh: "You think you have the qualifications to bargain with me?"

Hu Xiaotian sighed, then tapped his toes and lunged at the Northern Swamp Old Monster like a leopard. His action greatly exceeded the Northern Swamp Old Monster's expectations—could this brat not care about Xi Yan's life?

At this moment the Northern Swamp Old Monster finally noticed that Xi Yan had somehow awakened; he snatched the golden little snake from her neck, and the snake was extremely docile in her palm, with no intention to attack her—no wonder Hu Xiaotian dared to launch an offensive.

The Northern Swamp Old Monster focused all his attention on Hu Xiaotian, not expecting Xi Yan to wake; this change reversed the whole situation, and Hu Xiaotian struck with a heaven-splitting sword, this sword bearing a murderous intent, sword energy crisscrossing, a towering killing intent spreading across the sky and engulfing the earth as it surged forward.

In panic the Northern Swamp Old Monster could only retreat, but his speed could not compare to Hu Xiaotian's; seeing the Lan-colored light blade approach his face, he could only hope the wing armor would help him escape this calamity, yet Hu Xiaotian's sword aimed at his neck—with a puff! the light sword sliced through his neck without obstruction, the Northern Swamp Old Monster's white-haired head rolled onto the ground, and the iron-thread vajra worms that had just gathered poured out continuously with the blood spurting from his neck.

Hu Xiaotian walked over, picked up his clothes from the ground and put them on, but felt a sudden gust of wind behind his head, turned to dodge, a golden light brushed past him—it was Xi Yan throwing the golden little snake at him; Hu Xiaotian was both laughing and crying, Xi Yan's mind was now confused, she didn't know what she was doing, he lunged forward, sealed her acupoints to prevent her from causing more trouble.

After subduing Xi Yan, he stripped the wing armor from the Northern Swamp Old Monster's body, kicked the headless corpse aside, then went to the river to wash the wing armor clean, took a quick rinse, put his clothes and wing armor back on, and after finishing all that, he picked up Xi Yan and flew away flapping his wings.

Hu Xiaotian quickly discovered the exceptional nature of this set of wing armor: it could help him soar in the sky; although its flight speed couldn't match that of the flying eagle and the Snow Eagle, once he mastered its use he could also achieve a thousand miles a day, and while flying the wing armor consumed barely any energy from the light sword—basically, once the light sword was fully charged it could provide the wing armor with continuous flight for two days. Initially Hu Xiaotian didn't dare to fly for long, but after he became completely familiar with operating the wing armor, he formally embarked on the journey to Yunyang by flight.

From Zijin Mountain to Yunyang it took only five days; the appearance of this wing armor made Hu Xiaotian feel as if he had obtained a precious treasure—although he previously had a flying eagle for transport, the eagle's unique habit meant it would fly to the far north to escape the heat in summer, leaving Hu Xiaotian unable to use it for half a year; now with this wing armor, Hu Xiaotian gained wings like a tiger.

News of Hu Xiaotian's arrival in Yunyang spread quickly through the city; Long Xi Yue and Weisa were both in Yunyang, there to relieve disaster victims and await Hu Xiaotian's return; hearing the news that Xichuan and Dakang had openly broken relations, they worried endlessly for Hu Xiaotian, wishing they could sprout wings and fly to Xizhou to visit him—little did they expect Hu Xiaotian would return so soon.

A brief separation beats a new marriage; seeing his two lovely confidantes, Hu Xiaotian naturally embraced them left and right, showing great affection; this guy, with a silver tongue that could charm anyone to death, teased Long Xi Yue and Weisa, making their hearts flutter and their cheeks flush. If it weren't broad daylight with subordinates awaiting his audience, he would now be holding the beauties and entering the bedroom to indulge in fish-and-water bliss.

Long Xi Yue glanced at Xi Yan, whispered a question about the whole story, and Hu Xiaotian gave a brief explanation.

Long Xi Yue said: "Leave her in our care; Mister Zhuge has arrived—go see him."

Hu Xiaotian nodded, handed Xi Yan to Long Xi Yue and Weisa for care, recalling that Weisa was skilled in soul‑confusing arts, he thought it a good chance to ask her to see if there was any way to wake Xi Yan.

Because of the alliance between Xichuan and the Tianxiang Kingdom, Yunyang's situation suddenly became tense; following Mister Zhuge's suggestion, the garrison forces in Yunyang increased nearly double compared to before, with part of the soldiers and civilians already beginning to clear the route to northwestern Xichuan, and the reconstruction of homes also began.

Upon hearing that Hu Xiaotian had returned safely, the officers were also greatly heartened; after Hu Xiaotian met with the crowd, he and Mister Zhuge went up to the Yunyang Ximen city gate tower, looked out, and saw that the area where refugees had once gathered had been completely cleared, and those who had fled from Xichuan were now properly settled.

Mister Zhuge briefly reported to Hu Xiaotian what had happened during his absence; Hu Xiaotian nodded and said in a low voice, "Redwood River has already completely fallen under the control of the Tianxiang Kingdom."

Mister Zhuge had also heard this news; he could understand Hu Xiaotian's disappointment—although Redwood River was small, it was the southwestern frontier, checking the southern gateway of Xichuan; Mister Zhuge said: "The Tianxiang Kingdom's developments were beyond my expectation; this is my dereliction of duty."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "It's not your fault; currently the king and queen dowager of the Tianxiang Kingdom have lost control of the state, and the situation should be manipulated by the Xu family of Jinling."

Mister Zhuge exclaimed: "The Xu family of Jinling is actually this strong!" Although he was exceptionally wise, he knew little about the Xu family of Jinling.

Hu Xiaotian sighed: "I still haven't given enough weight to the Xu family, and I didn't expect their ambition to be this great." Recalling the grand wedding of Yunze, the words the old matriarch Xu spoke to him—how much truth lay in them remains to be verified.

Mister Zhuge said: "Your lordship's Golden Jade Alliance exists in name only."

Hu Xiaotian nodded; the original purpose of signing the Golden Jade Alliance was to unite various forces to contend with strong opponents, and the Tianxiang Kingdom's recent upheaval has already caused their newly formed alliance to collapse. He said softly: "Brother Zhuge, what do you think I should do now?"

Mister Zhuge rose, walked slowly to the arrow rest, placed both hands on it, gazed toward Xichuan, and said softly: "Your lordship has taken in many refugees lately, while the Tianxiang Kingdom suddenly allied with Xichuan and has clearly declared it will no longer honor the grain purchase contract."

Hu Xiaotian's mood also grew solemn; this is the most urgent and cruel problem facing them—having lost the route to buy grain from the Tianxiang Kingdom, his territory will soon face a grain shortage, having taken in too many refugees earlier, whose food stores cannot last until this year's autumn harvest. After thinking, he said: "The only recourse is to seek aid from the Bohai State; even if we must buy grain at high prices, we must get through this crisis."

Mister Zhuge said: "Bohai is merely an island nation; I have calculated their grain output over recent years, and even if the Bohai State promises full assistance, I see it as willing but unable."

Hu Xiaotian knew everything Mister Zhuge said was reality, yet among his current allies the only one possibly able to help him was the Bohai State; he said in a deep voice: "Act swiftly; we must resolve the grain issue before the crisis erupts."

Mister Zhuge said: "Why not consider Dakang, my lord?"

Hu Xiaotian furrowed his brows, slowly shook his head, and said: "The Dakang court bears a deep grudge against me; at a time like this, the most likely thing they would do is kick a man when he's down."

"Times change; Xichuan has undergone changes, and now even the Southern Yue State has bowed to the Tianxiang Kingdom—meaning the Tianxiang Kingdom and Xichuan have become integrated over a vast area, they not only seized large tracts of Dakang's land but also blocked Dakang's southern water and land routes; Dakang's predicament is no less severe than ours, and once the Xu family's layout is complete, it will become the strongest force in the Central Plains; Dakang may not wish to see this happen. Moreover, your lordship outwardly remains the King of Zhenhai of Dakang, and the refugees you have taken in are all Dakang subjects—even if the Dakang court extends aid, it is only proper."

Hu Xiaotian suddenly thought of Qiqi in his heart, wondering what she was thinking; in the current situation, both he and she need to break through quickly, and Mister Zhuge is right—under heaven there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests; faced with common interests, he and Qiqi, this pair of adversaries, might well join forces again.

To Hu Xiaotian's delight, Qin Yutong was actually in Yunyang; this time she came not to save lives and heal the wounded, but to find him. Seeing Hu Xiaotian's overjoyed expression, Qin Yutong realized she might have walked into a gun barrel, and this guy surely had some design on her. As Qin Yutong expected, Hu Xiaotian asked her to treat Xi Yan.

Hu Xiaotian originally thought that, given his life‑and‑death bond with Qin Yutong, getting her to act would not be difficult, but upon hearing it was Xi Yan, Qin Yutong flatly refused: "Impossible, I will never save her!"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Don't look at the monk's face, look at the Buddha's; even if you two have some past grudges, they are ultimately things of the past—consider my face, Sir does not hold a villain's faults against him; just save her once."

Qin Yutong coldly stared at Hu Xiaotian: "Do you know what she has done? Do you know what kind of grudge I have with her?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "At worst it's a feud of patricide and spousal hatred." He secretly thought, Qin Yutong's father is alive and well, her mother died when Xi Yan was still an infant in swaddling clothes, so a patricide feud is out of the question; as for spousal hatred, both women like him, there's no need to fight to the death—I wouldn't mind marrying both of them, a good man must share!

If Qin Yutong knew what this guy was thinking right now, she'd surely punch his nose crooked. (To be continued~^~)