Chapter 510: Troops Approaching

Chapter 510: The Army Approaches

Knowing it was inevitable, Sisi still felt murderous rage.

She knew the days of their shared bliss had ended with this war. No matter how long it took to conclude, Zhao Changhe would not return to continue their life together.

He had completed his current stage of cultivation. Perhaps there were still hidden secrets here, but they were not to be uncovered now. When he returned, it might be at the next turn of summer and autumn, bringing the Vermilion Bird and White Tiger to try opening deeper mysteries.

“I will come back,” Zhao Changhe said, bending to kiss her forehead. “Don’t make that face. Let’s get to work first.”

Sisi pouted and muttered, “Lei Zhentang was fine nursing his wounds, but he had to come out and stir trouble. I think he’s asking for death!”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. On the surface, it was Zhai Muzhi coming to suppress you. Lei Zhentang was your ally, wasn’t he? Yet you curse him… It showed Sisi had already lumped Zhai Muzhi and Lei Zhentang together. But Zhao Changhe felt it was too early to jump to conclusions.

That said, whether they were in league or not, a struggle for hegemony in Miaojiang was inevitable. Sisi and the Black Miao would clash. It was natural for her to vent her anger on Lei Zhentang.

Zhao Changhe rose to his full height. “Let’s go. I need to see what’s happening outside… As things stand, I don’t even know who to fight.”

Indeed, he didn’t know who to fight…

In theory, Zhai Muzhi’s campaign was a response to news of Miaojiang expelling the Xia. It had taken over a month to arrive, astonishingly slow, but still justified. Zhao Changhe couldn’t fault the Shu Commandery for acting on behalf of the Xia.

Perhaps Li Si’an and other Demon-Slaying Division spies had reported the situation to the court, and the court had ordered Shu Commandery to act, albeit sluggishly.

But he couldn’t join Zhai Muzhi’s side to suppress Miaojiang either… The root cause of Miaojiang’s rebellion, though fueled by Black Miao ambition, was Zhai Muzhi’s exploitation, which had sparked widespread outrage. Without that, the other Bai and Yao tribes wouldn’t have cooperated, and even Lei Zhentang’s ambitions would have stayed buried.

Zhao Changhe knew full well who his imagined enemy was in his recent rush to break through the second hidden realm.

Not Lei Zhentang, but Zhai Muzhi.

Whether Zhai Muzhi harbored schemes or was simply greedy and vicious, if Zhao Changhe encountered such a figure in his usual chivalrous deeds, he would kill the corrupt official first.

But Zhai Muzhi was no ordinary corrupt official. He was the top of the Human Ranking.

Perhaps the previous top of the Human Ranking had only been at the first hidden realm, like the Vulture Lying Tooth back then, who entered the Earth Ranking merely as a replacement.

Yet it was easy to imagine that such a figure was only a step away from the second hidden realm, always on the verge of breakthrough. So much time had passed, and while Zhao Changhe advanced rapidly, others hadn’t stood still. The Vulture Lying Tooth was very likely already at the second hidden realm.

Similarly, Zhai Muzhi’s Human Ranking position hadn’t changed in years… He had long been at the top of the Human Ranking. What about now?

Treating him as first hidden realm would be an underestimation; he must be considered second hidden realm.

With his previous strength, Zhao Changhe couldn’t even think of playing the hero and killing the corrupt official. If he dared act rashly, he’d end up dead himself.

But now it was different… Zhao Changhe had enough confidence in his current power.

He pondered for a moment. “Here’s the plan: you muster the troops and prepare for battle. I’ll go meet Zhai Muzhi first.”

Sisi was taken aback, then remembered Zhao Changhe wasn’t from any Miao tribe—he was Xia. Moreover, he held a Demon-Slaying Division spy token, giving him full standing to meet Zhai Muzhi for talks.

She scratched her head. “Don’t tell me after all this, you’ll end up helping Zhai Muzhi fight us.”

Zhao Changhe slapped her on the backside. “Go wash up and wait for your lord to spank you in bed.”

Watching the blushing queen, the serving girls who had brought the news turned their heads away.

The posture they had glimpsed from afar while reporting still lingered in their minds. When Her Majesty stood up, she was still wiping the corner of her mouth… Zhai Muzhi and Lei Zhentang’s interruption had come at a very inopportune moment.

…

Sisi didn’t bring many people out of the secret realm’s spirit tribe—just a few young ones curious about the outside world, to balance the Xia population in Taoyuan Town.

In truth, she didn’t need the secret realm’s support. The forces in Taoyuan Town alone were already a power Miaojiang couldn’t ignore.

Though not vast in absolute numbers, the Xia were mostly martial artists and elite. Meanwhile, the Miaojiang witchcraft and spirit tribe arts were also mastered, and even more refined. Combined, Taoyuan Town was one of the strongest separatist forces around Dali.

As soon as Sisi left the secret realm, she immediately mustered her troops and marched toward Dali to join the coalition council.

Zhao Changhe rode north alone, traversing paths thick with miasma and venomous insects, heading straight for the gathering point of Zhai Muzhi’s army in the north.

Zhai Muzhi’s forces were already close to Miaojiang. It seemed he had deliberately avoided the Emei line where the Divine Phoenix Sect was located, taking a more western route. Now, following a river southward, the river’s name struck Zhao Changhe with a sense of familiarity, making him want to pull out a cigarette.

The river was called the Litang River, flowing from the northwest through Litang… but now it was near its lower reaches, about to enter Miaojiang.

The army marched until evening, halting to water their horses and set up camp by the Litang River.

Zhao Changhe hurried for two days and caught up as the troops were pitching camp. Watching from a distance, he shook his head.

Lazy and sloppy, taking forever to set up camp—they couldn’t compare to the forces south of the river, let alone those at Yanmen. The supposed vanguard commander was leaning against a tree, drinking with his men, occasionally cursing, “Hurry up, damn it! What’s the holdup? The governor’s main force will be here soon, and they’ll whip you to death!”

The soldiers were gaunt and sallow, dressed in rags. Some took out dry rations and ate with water. Zhao Changhe noticed the rations seemed moldy.

One soldier drew his waist knife to cut stakes, and Zhao Changhe keenly saw the blade was chipped and rusty.

And this was the army going to war?

They were marching to their deaths in Miaojiang. Whether they could even get through the miasma-laden paths ahead was questionable.

He had been observing from afar for a while when a scout squad finally spotted him and surrounded him. “Who goes there?”

Zhao Changhe looked at the gaunt scouts and sighed. “I am a jade-token spy of the Great Xia Demon-Slaying Division. I have urgent business with Governor Zhai. Please inform him.”

“The governor is still behind… He won’t arrive until we finish setting up camp…”

The commander over there noticed the commotion and called out, “What’s going on?”

“General Zhai, someone here claims to be from the Demon-Slaying Division.”

“Demon-Slaying Division? Let me see the token.”

Zhao Changhe pulled out his jade token from afar.

“Pfft…” The general couldn’t see the token clearly but caught the color and spat out a mouthful of wine, coughing. “A jade-token spy, no less…”

At his words, his adjutants and guards hurriedly hid things and tried to drag the nearby soldiers away.

The general waved carelessly. “What are you hiding? Invite this Demon-Slaying colleague over for a chat.”

Zhao Changhe rode closer, narrowing his eyes.

The soldiers they were trying to hide weren’t soldiers at all—they were women.

Not just women, but women with vacant eyes, faint bloodstains, trembling in terror as they attended them.

Zhao Changhe’s gaze swept over what they hadn’t managed to hide…

Heads of Xia villagers, blood still fresh.

“Ah, esteemed spy, what is your name? Jade tokens are rare—your rank rivals our governor’s.” The general didn’t care about being seen and rose cheerfully to greet him. “Come, have a drink… Our governor will be here soon.”

“As a spy, it’s not convenient to give my name.” Zhao Changhe dismounted expressionlessly.

“Oh, right, right, I forgot.” The general pretended to help him up but discreetly slipped a piece of gold into his hand.

Zhao Changhe took it.

Seeing this, the general’s smile widened. He pulled a woman over and shoved her into Zhao Changhe’s arms. “We’re all colleagues here…”

Feeling the woman’s trembling fear, Zhao Changhe rested his hand on his sword hilt, murderous intent seething beneath his calm eyes.

Dust rose in the distance—Zhai Muzhi’s main force had arrived.

Zhao Changhe slowly released his grip, deciding not to alert the enemy for now. He laughed heartily. “I have urgent matters and no mind for feasting. Let me see Governor Zhai first, deliver my report, and then I’ll return to drink with you—drink till we reach the Yellow Springs.”

The general found his words ominous, like that illiterate Situ Xiao who always talked about drinking in the underworld.

He waved dismissively. “Since the governor is here, I’ll be attending the banquet too. Let’s go together.”