Chapter 1886: Guarding Until the Clouds Clear

## Chapter 1867: When the Clouds Part

He knew that He Xiao had done countless incredible things throughout his journey, more than one could recount, but killing a Great Sky God? Impossible, that was absolutely beyond human capability. If He Xiao, this young man in his early twenties, could kill a Great Sky God, what would that make the millennia-old immortals?

"Excuse me, what happened to Master Qianhuan?" The battle took place in the Inverted Sea, and as the host, Master Qianhuan couldn't possibly not have appeared, right?

"It's still unclear." Du Shan shook his head. "Our knowledge is limited. We'll only know the specific details once our patron returns to Shanjin."

"How long until they return?" Given the importance of the Inverted Sea mission and its severe outcome, Fang Canran, as the mission's issuer, also needed to inquire about the progress and process on behalf of Mount Ling.

"Returning from sea to land, and then from northern Shanjin, even if they traveled continuously, it would take at least three or four months." The Shanjin Plain is vast.

"Three or four more months?" It wasn't easy to deceive Fang Canran. "Then how can the Great Emperor of the Underworld 'enter the world soon'?" This was Du Shan's exact quote from earlier.

Du Shan chuckled, "The Great Emperor of the Underworld has countless avatars; how could such a small matter trouble him?" Of course, this wasn't a contradiction. Fang Canran gazed at him for a few moments, deep in thought. "It seems you've planned this for a long time. Ha, Brother He has grand ambitions indeed." He had always known that He Lingchuan harbored great aspirations, but he never expected that this man genuinely intended to turn the heavens upside down! How dared he? His ambition soared higher than the sky.

"Rumors of Divine Lord Miaozhan's death have already spread. Mount Ling will soon question you."

Du Shan gave a half-smile. "Divine Lord Miaozhan was killed by the Dragon God, and that old master is rarely seen." The phrase "rarely seen" is inherently used to describe a divine dragon. The crux of the matter was that even if Mount Ling suspected the Great Emperor of the Underworld was He Lingchuan, they couldn't confirm it for now.

Fang Canran exhaled. "This puts me in a very difficult position." Rumors of the Dragon God's emergence and salvation of Shanjin would likely spread rapidly with Divine Lord Miaozhan's death. At that time, Mount Ling would, of course, order Fang Canran to investigate the facts.

"There's nothing that can't be told to others, Master Fang, just investigate; we will cooperate fully," Du Shan smiled. "However, such significant hidden information is only known to our patron. Perhaps you could wait with us for our patron's return." The two exchanged smiles; Fang Canran's was one of helplessness, while Du Shan's was full of deeper meaning.

Hundreds of miles away, Shizhoutou.

The market stretched all the way to the city gate, with an old woman selling salted eggs closest to the sentry. This place was no longer the scene of military lockdown from back when they resisted Zhao Guangzhi and City Lord Liu. However, the best spot, the open space in front of the Black Dragon statue, was left unoccupied by any small business owner. A wider and larger altar had replaced the previous one, laden with fresh flowers and fruits. Not far away, the temple dedicated to the Dragon God was nearing completion; it was the most magnificent building in the city, and the statue and altar would be moved there when it was finished.

Two riders on flying horses entered the city. Scouts rushed into the garrison office, finding Yang Meng.

"You're back? What's the situation in Maiqiu?"

"We found devotees who went to worship Divine Lord Miaozhan a few days ago, and questioned five of them, one of whom had been sweeping the temple year-round. They swore they personally saw Lord Dragon God soar from the temple, carrying Divine Lord Miaozhan in his mouth, circling in the night sky for a long time before ascending straight into the clouds!" Another said, "I investigated in the counties and towns around Maiqiu, and many townspeople also saw the divine dragon's form in the night sky, swearing they witnessed it with their own eyes."

"So, what's the state of the temple now?"

"It's empty, almost cleared out," the scout reported. "We specifically went inside and looked around. The incense offerings are gone; it's practically deserted, with only two old men left. Oh, and the legend is true: the goddess's statue is broken; we all saw it." The other scout nodded repeatedly.

"We also visited Qian County, Eighteen Villages, Chidu Town, and the surrounding small counties, and not just the Miaozhan Tian Temple!" They listed several other temples. "These have also declined. It's said that strange phenomena occurred there a few days ago too: either statues were broken, or they were inexplicably stained. The plaque of the Chizha Temple even fell down and killed someone."

Yang Meng clenched his fists. Even a Heavenly God was killed by the Dragon God?

He immediately recalled the divine soldiers who descended from the heavens over a year ago. At that time, City Lord Liu of Shizhoutou abandoned the city and fled. It was Yang Meng who led the entire city in repelling the invading ogre king Zhao Guangzhi. However, City Lord Liu then tried to return and reap the benefits, and after being rejected, he also led troops to attack the city. At this moment of internal strife and external threat, the Black Armored Army appeared out of thin air, first apprehending City Lord Liu, then capturing Zhao Guangzhi, and even handed these two villains over to the common people of Shizhoutou and Liuping for trial! It was precisely the Great Emperor of the Underworld who performed these divine acts with swift, decisive measures. The battle that night remained vivid in Yang Meng's memory; he could still see it clearly with his eyes closed.

Not long after, he and the common people of Shizhoutou began receiving various reports of the Great Emperor of the Underworld punishing evildoers; it seemed even Xue Zongwu, the Grand General of the Yao Kingdom, had been slain by the Great Emperor of the Underworld! The legend that the Great Emperor of the Underworld was the reincarnation of the Dragon God had also been widely circulating in the countryside. Therefore, when Yang Meng heard the news that the Dragon God had killed Divine Lord Miaozhan the day before yesterday, he was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night.

He always remembered what the Great Emperor of the Underworld had told him before leaving Liuping: "Changes are coming to the Shanjin Plain. If you persevere for another three to five years, you will certainly see the clouds part." He had pressed for what "changes" meant at the time, but the Great Emperor of the Underworld said little more.

For over a year, even while remaining in this remote, isolated backwater, Yang Meng had faintly sensed an undercurrent, as if something was about to burst forth. Until he received the explosive news of Divine Lord Miaozhan's demise! Did this mean that, as the Great Emperor of the Underworld had said, the changes had arrived? So fast, it had only been a little over a year.

The scout added, "We visited seven or eight places, and heard rumors spreading like wildfire these past few days, all saying that a true dragon has emerged, about to sweep across Shanjin and eradicate all injustice in the world. Folk songs and children's rhymes are being sung everywhere." Another scout hummed, "What I heard was, 'Dragon God is here, blessings are here, there's food to eat, clothes to wear, I'll pull the villains off their high horses, no one will dare steal my grain!'" The tune was quite good, very catchy.

After the two scouts left, Yang Meng unconsciously gazed out at the market beyond his window, lost in thought. In the past year, life in Shizhoutou and Liuping, under his governance, had become much easier. Both places were originally poor, and local officials were corrupt, trying to squeeze profit even from stones. Yang Meng was good at fighting but less skilled at governing a city-state. He had originally worried day and night about the livelihoods of so many people, but then, eleven months ago, the Yangshan Merchant Guild arrived. They started extensively purchasing local specialties: litsea cubeba oil and Laosxiang wood. Litsea cubeba is both a medicinal herb and a spice; the oil extracted from it has a unique, wonderfully fragrant aroma. For Laosxiang wood, only the bark is used; when washed, ground into powder, and sprinkled on food, it imparts a smooth yet intense aroma of cheese and cinnamon.