Chapter 182: The Waters of the Southern Frontier Run Deep
The Cloud-Chasing Pirate Ship flew for a day and a half before finally reaching the Yong River, sailing toward a camp on the riverbank.
The area along the river in Lizhou Prefecture was heavily guarded by troops. The army had set up over two hundred water fortresses in a continuous chain, with a vast number of soldiers and horses. When they arrived, a fierce battle was nearing its end. On the river, multi-story warships roamed freely; some had been breached, their masts and decks ablaze, billowing thick black smoke.
Corpses floated on the river's surface.
Soldiers on the warships cast fishing nets to haul in the bodies, hooking them with grappling irons and hanging them from the sterns, preparing to drag them ashore for burial.
Qin Mu activated his Azure Sky Divine Eye and looked toward the opposite bank. There, a broken city stood, with sporadic fighting still ongoing. Faint glimmers of various colors from unleashed divine abilities flickered within the city.
However, the scale of the battle was already small. It seemed the Yan Kang Kingdom's army was mopping up the remaining enemies within the city.
Fan Yunxiao brought the warship down, slowly descending toward the military camp. Soldiers flew up to the ship to inquire, and upon learning they were scholars from the Imperial Academy, immediately waved flags to signal the archers below to lower their bows.
The warship landed in the camp. Fan Yunxiao's eyes flickered—one black, one white—as he glanced at the sporadic fighting on the opposite shore. He then looked at Shen Wanyun, Yun Que, and the others, shaking his head. "Brother Qin, these scholars will only hold you back; they're useless here. In a large-scale battle, you few scholars won't be able to make a difference and will struggle to survive. I'm off. Once I get enough black iron and the blueprints for a treasure ship, I'll come find you!" With that, he ordered the pirates on board to activate the furnace, and the ship sailed away.
Yun Que and the others felt deeply discouraged. Shen Wanyun sneered, "That man's strength isn't bad, but his judgment is seriously flawed."
A general approached and asked, "Are you scholars from the Imperial Academy?"
Qin Mu nodded. "Is Yuanyuan Chuyu, the Deputy Magistrate of Lizhou Prefecture, on the front lines? Please inform her that Qin Mu from Dijiang County requests an audience."
The general was startled and, not daring to be negligent, hurried off.
After a short while, the sound of clanging armor was heard. Everyone turned to look and saw a female general approaching, clad in armor with a helmet tucked under her arm. She was strikingly handsome, with a fierce and commanding presence, her features beautiful—rosy lips and a delicate face that was unforgettable.
She seemed to have just come from the battlefield, with traces of blood still on her.
"So it's little brother Qin Mu."
Yuanyuan Chuyu's gaze fell on Qin Mu, her eyes lighting up. "The little brother who left Dijiang County a few months ago has now made a name for himself. I've heard about your affairs from my elder brother. You've risen in the world, and I'm happy for you."
"Sister flatters me."
Qin Mu looked embarrassed. "I kept it from you before—I never said I was from the Great Wasteland."
Yuanyuan Chuyu said, "After you left, I kept wondering when Dijiang County ever had a Qin family capable of producing such an outstanding child. Later, my brother sent word about you, and I learned you were from the Great Wasteland."
Yun Que, Yue Qinghong, and the others were shocked. Lizhou Prefecture was the staging point for all Imperial Academy scholars on their field training, yet Qin Mu was actually acquainted with the Deputy Magistrate of Lizhou Prefecture!
Such a high-ranking local official was already a regional magnate, and Yuanyuan Chuyu's background was extraordinary—she was the former princess of the Yuanyuan Kingdom, while the other prince, Yuanyuan Chuyun, had become a general in the capital.
Qin Mu was merely an abandoned child from the Great Wasteland. How could he have any connection with Yuanyuan Chuyu?
"Sister Chuyu, how goes the Corpse Immortal Sect?" Qin Mu asked.
"The Corpse Immortal Sect has been pacified by me, but some remnants escaped to the Southern Frontier."
Yuanyuan Chuyu led them onto the city wall. "The Southern Frontier is now gathering various rebel armies and rebellious sects, a tangled mix of forces. All the cities along the river have stationed troops, on strict guard. We'll soon invade the Southern Frontier, but the waters there run deep, and the situation is still unclear."
"The waters run deep?" Everyone was taken aback.
Yuanyuan Chuyu smiled faintly. "In this era, who can you truly say is loyal or treacherous? Take me, for example—I am the fallen princess of the Yuanyuan Kingdom. How do you know I won't rebel the next moment?"
Shen Wanyun and the others broke out in cold sweat, terrified that this fierce female general might suddenly turn hostile, kill them, and declare rebellion.
Yuanyuan Chuyu said calmly, "The court is too tightly bound to the old era. The National Teacher wants to create a brand-new age on this foundation, but the forces he can use are often those of the old era. His new age cannot completely shake off the influence of the old. So who knows which sect or which powerful minister will be the next to betray?"
Monk Yun Que stammered, "But you won't betray, right, Deputy Magistrate?"
Yuanyuan Chuyu looked at him, a chilling smile spreading across her face. She said softly, "Guess. If you guess right, you might live."
Yun Que's face turned ashen, and he nearly soiled himself in terror.
A regional magnate like Yuanyuan Chuyu had cultivated an imposing presence. Though a woman, when her face turned cold, she could terrify anyone into collapse.
Yuanyuan Chuyu let out a light laugh, summoned a general, and gave an order. The general immediately deployed troops, assembling a force of over a thousand soldiers.
Yuanyuan Chuyu descended from the city wall and walked across the river's surface, with the thousand soldiers following behind, also stepping on the water as they headed toward the opposite bank.
Qin Mu followed her, his feet landing on the water. Yuan Qi surged from his soles, lifting him steadily. He laughed, "Sister, don't scare him."
Shen Wanyun and the others quickly caught up, each channeling their Yuan Qi to keep from sinking.
They could run on water, but walking slowly and leisurely was more difficult, requiring not only water control but also a deep reserve of Yuan Qi.
Yuanyuan Chuyu asked with interest, "Little brother, you don't think I'll rebel against the court?"
Qin Mu shook his head. "Because this rebellion itself is a trap set by the National Teacher to purge the court and the wilds. Sister is clever and sees clearly. If you were a bit dumber, you would have rebelled long ago and wouldn't have waited until today."
Yuanyuan Chuyu laughed. "You're right and wrong. The reason I haven't rebelled isn't just because I'm smart. Many have come to persuade me to rebel, all confident they could make me turn. But they were all wrong. The Yuanyuan family doesn't value the throne; we value the people. When the Yuanyuan Kingdom still existed, the Yan Kang Kingdom had already grown strong and could attack at any time. My father knew that if war broke out, the kingdom would fall and families would be destroyed. Then the National Teacher came to Yuanyuan and debated with my father. All the civil and military officials were present, discussing governance and the people's livelihood. My brother and I were also in the court. And then, we lost."
Her expression was calm. "Whether it was the art of governance or the way of the people's livelihood, we were utterly defeated, and we accepted it with conviction. My father abdicated the throne and wanted my brother to succeed him, but my brother refused and passed the position to me. I..."
She showed a faint smile, whether self-mocking or genuine, it was hard to tell. "I said to the Yan Kang National Teacher, 'In governance, I am inferior to you; in the people's livelihood, I am also inferior to you. So I entrust the Yuanyuan Kingdom to you. If your governance and care for the people do not satisfy me, I will rebel against you in the future.' The National Teacher agreed and let me govern Yuanyuan, which is now Lizhou."
"I see." Everyone suddenly understood.
Fox Linger exclaimed in surprise, "Sister, so you were once a female emperor!"
Yuanyuan Chuyu laughed. "I was a female emperor for a day, and it wasn't much fun. If you want to be an emperor, just find a place and declare yourself one—it's just a matter of how many people you rule over."
She looked at the rolling smoke and fire on the river, then turned her gaze back to Shen Wanyun and the others, smiling. "You are fortunate to follow little brother. His skills are extraordinary."
Yue Qinghong and Yun Que exchanged glances, unsure where this female general saw Qin Mu's extraordinary abilities.
Yuanyuan Chuyu recalled the countless red corpse beetles she had found in the northern part of Huyang County. Besides the beetles, there was a skeleton—the flesh had all dissolved, leaving only bones and clothes. From the clothes, she identified it as an expert from the Corpse Immortal Sect.
Though she couldn't tell who this Corpse Immortal Sect expert was, from his methods of controlling the corpse beetles and their sheer number, his cultivation level was likely at the Seven Stars stage.
The Corpse Immortal Sect specialized in corpses and poison; their cultivation levels weren't particularly high, but fighting them was difficult even for those with higher cultivation and combat power.
This Corpse Immortal Sect expert had died from poisoning, and the one who poisoned him was likely this honest-looking little brother beside her.
At the time, this little brother had even fooled her, getting her to write him a travel permit and recommend him to the capital.
In Yuanyuan Chuyu's mind, Shen Wanyun and the others were fortunate to be following such a cunning fellow on their training journey—safer than even being under the supervision of the Imperial Academy. That was why she called them lucky.
When they reached the opposite bank, they found the city there had its watchtowers collapsed from the fighting, with countless dead and wounded.
Yuanyuan Chuyu led the troops into the city and said, "When I said the waters run deep, besides that reason, there's another. Look—I took Deer County without much effort, easily capturing it. Aren't the rebels too weak?"
Qin Mu was startled. "Luring the enemy in deep?"
"Not just luring the enemy in deep—the old foxes haven't moved at all."
Yuanyuan Chuyu's eyes flickered. "The three old monsters who injured the National Teacher haven't appeared yet. There are likely more old monsters from the old era than just those three. Qiu Dieyi of the Parting Loves Palace, the three fortress masters of Sanqi Fort, the rebellious Grand Minister of the Executive Bureau, the Dragon King of the Dragon Gate Sect, and other sect leaders of the master level—none have shown themselves. Other sect masters, clan leaders, and gate masters of various sizes are all quiet. And..."
She lowered her voice. "Who knows if any gods from the old era have survived?"
Qin Mu shuddered several times.
Shen Wanyun and the others also felt a chill run down their spines.
Yuanyuan Chuyu clearly knew many things about the old era but didn't go into detail. She said, "Don't worry—these old monsters won't bother with you youngsters. Their targets are the National Teacher and the first-rank officials of the court. The force entrenched in Deer County is a sect not much bigger than the Corpse Immortal Sect, called the Nine Nether Gate. Deer County has just been pacified, but some remnants of the Nine Nether Gate have fled. I'll give you an easy task—wipe out the remnants."
Her bright eyes fell on Qin Mu and the others. "The Nine Nether Gate is good at playing tricks, claiming they can summon ghosts and gods to aid them in battle. Prepare yourselves. When the other scholars arrive, go and eliminate them."