Chapter 1966: The Killed City Guard

On a related note, He Xiao had actually used this tactic in Yaoguo as well. Simply by borrowing the false title of 'Assistant Administrator,' he made King Yao drain all the wealth of the Yao people into Tianshui New City, instantly igniting the conflict between King Yao and the Heavenly God!

Yuan Xuan couldn't help but whisper, "Palace Master, as for the Heavenly God..."

Qingyang cut him off. "Since things have come to this, the Heavenly God will have to play this role with me."

Yuan Xuan understood that she was staking her life and fortune on this, and at the same time, cutting off her own retreat. Her actions had already damaged the Heavenly God's reputation, and the Heavenly God would never tolerate a failed Qingyang.

"He Xiao is truly terrifying," Qingyang said, taking a deep breath. "If even Bai Ziqi couldn't kill him, then it has to be me."

She had once feared He Lingchuan more than Bai Ziqi did, which was why she avoided He Lingchuan's challenge. Unexpectedly, Bai Ziqi had actually failed.

This heavy responsibility had, in the end, fallen upon her shoulders.

Given enough time, the 'Emperor of the Nine Netherworlds' would surely become a great menace. She would rather put herself in a precarious position and take this gamble than leave He Xiao, this cancerous growth, for the Emperor to deal with!

"Bring me paper and a brush," she commanded. "I need to send a message to King Poliu."

***

Miancheng, in the south-central region of the Shanjin Plains.

The Autumn Lantern Festival was just three days away. It was a festival celebrating the harvest and praying for a prosperous year, and hanging lanterns was a custom throughout the Shanjin Plains' south-central region.

Miancheng was famous for its handmade lanterns, and the peak season for selling them began a month and a half before the festival. Shops were filled with a dazzling array of lanterns, and at night, the streets and alleys glowed with a kaleidoscope of colors.

However, this year's Autumn Lantern Festival, despite its liveliness, had an unusual undertone. The streets were crowded, but aside from children, most pedestrians hurried to and fro, with few actually buying lanterns.

"What a loss, a terrible loss!" a few lantern vendors huddled together, muttering. "We made thirty more lanterns this year than last, but only sold five!"

"You just stay home making lanterns all day," one scoffed, "without looking up to see what's happening outside!"

"What's happening?" another asked.

They were right next to the public notice board, the light from their stalls illuminating the words on the notice, one line particularly prominent: "Heaven helps those who help themselves; Heaven saves those who save themselves."

Just then, someone ran past them, splashing loudly, almost splattering them with mud and water.

"Are you blind?"

"Are you rushing to a funeral?"

Ignoring the curses from the vendors behind him, the person bolted into the Lao Family Inn around the corner, bursting into the lobby and saying to the innkeeper:

"Bad news, bad news! Luofeng Pool..."

The innkeeper grabbed his arm. "Lower your voice, don't alarm my guests!"

His dining hall wasn't small, but even at dinner time, there were only two tables occupied.

Business had been slow recently; things were tough. The bustling scenes outside on the streets were nothing but false prosperity.

"Uncle, why are you still open for business at a time like this!" the man exclaimed. "Lord Yun Dong's Luofeng Pool has been taken by Guo Baiyu, we need to leave quickly!"

The innkeeper was startled. "Luofeng Pool has been taken? Who told you that?"

"My cousin, he just escaped from Luofeng Pool!"

His cousin? That sounded somewhat credible. "What happened?"

"The night before last, Guo Baiyu broke through Luofeng Pool's city gates, and his army stormed in! My cousin and his friends had already heard that after Guo Baiyu captured Huancheng, he let his men plunder the entire city for a full day, robbing money, taking women, and killing many people! That served as a warning; they were terrified, and since the west city wall was under repair and the ladders hadn't been removed, they climbed over them and fled the city!"

With a clang, both men turned their heads together, seeing a diner's chopsticks had fallen to the floor.

The diner's face was pale, and he didn't bother picking up his chopsticks. "What did you say? Huancheng was captured by Guo Baiyu?"

"Oh, yes, that was almost a month ago."

The man who brought the news corrected the innkeeper: "It was twenty-five days ago."

"How could that be?" The diner's face was full of disbelief. "Didn't they say Huancheng had already been taken by the Black Armored Army? I also heard that the new city lord, Lu Shuheng, was sent by the Dragon God and was very, very powerful."

"Well, Guo Baiyu is even more formidable," the innkeeper replied. "Less than ten days after the Black Armored Army left and Lu Shuheng took over Huancheng, Guo Baiyu led his army in a midnight raid. That vast, surging army was terrifying!"

The diner's mouth hung open, and it took him a while to barely process the news. "Th-then what about the new city lord, Lu Shuheng?"

"His head was chopped off and hung outside the city gate for public display," the innkeeper explained, "with a cloth strip next to it that read, 'No power in your divine antics, I'm here to kick open the Nine Netherworld's gate.'" The innkeeper sighed. "This Guo fellow has some nerve, daring to directly challenge the Emperor of the Nine Netherworlds."

The messenger chuckled. "Before, the Black Armored Army flattened six prefectures, seven counties, and eighteen townships here, but they didn't dare touch Guo Baiyu's Changpei City from start to finish. Do you think he wouldn't be bold? He has something to rely on."

The innkeeper shook his head. "The Emperor of the Nine Netherworlds can even kill Heavenly Gods; a mere warlord is nothing to him. Just wait and see, retribution will come swiftly!"

"I'm afraid Guo Baiyu's retribution won't come before our inn is gone!" the messenger said, shaking his head. "It's been so many days, and Guo Baiyu is still lording it over Huancheng, living a life of luxury. Why haven't we seen the Emperor of the Nine Netherworlds or the Black Armored Army strike back at him? Didn't they say the Dragon God reincarnated to punish evil and eliminate wickedness? Alas, the city lord personally appointed by the Dragon God even had his head chopped off with one strike."

The innkeeper shushed him twice. "Don't speak ill of the Dragon God, or you'll bring bad luck upon yourself!"

"Aren't we unlucky enough already?" the messenger retorted. "Tell me, where is the Dragon God? Where is he? Instead, this bringer of ill fortune is right nearby. Uncle, why don't you just close the inn and escape with us?"

Upon hearing this, the innkeeper shook his head repeatedly.

"Luofeng Pool is far from here," he said. "And besides, Guo Baiyu just captured such a good place. Why would he turn around and attack Miancheng?"

The diner, being from out of town, asked, "I'm from out of town, is Luofeng Pool a good place?"

"Beyond Luofeng Pool lies the Yun Dong territory," the innkeeper explained. "For the past decade or so, life in the five cities and thirteen townships under Lord Yun Dong has been much better than elsewhere."

The messenger added, "At least they can eat their fill. Every year of famine, people from our area secretly slip over there. Oh, and a while ago, the Black Armored Army made a big show of force, but they didn't attack Yun Dong City's territory either."

The diner asked curiously, "Why did this Guo fellow attack Luofeng Pool?"

The messenger chuckled. "To seize grain, of course, to feed and supply his army. What else would it be for? Luofeng Pool is rich in fish and rice. Guo Baiyu capturing that one place is equivalent to the output of three or four Mianchengs."

The innkeeper immediately said, "Exactly, that's why I said Guo Baiyu won't come here for now. Luofeng Pool is richer than us, and this Guo fellow's army can eat their fill there. Even if he wanted to conquer another city, there are plenty of options. With so many villages, counties, and towns nearby, why would he choose Miancheng?"