Chapter 182 — The Waters of the Southern Wilds Run Deep

The Cloud-Chasing Pirate Ship flew for a day and a half, and at last reached the Yong River, steering toward the camp upon the riverbank.

The riverside stretch of Lizhou Prefecture had already been placed under heavy guard; the great army had linked more than two hundred water forts, and its troops and horses were numberless. By the time they arrived, a fierce battle was drawing to its close. Tower ships prowled the river's face; some had been smashed open, masts and decks ablaze, pouring out rolling black smoke. Corpses drifted upon the water.

On the tower ships, soldiers cast fishing nets to fish out the dead, hooking the bodies and hanging them from the sterns, ready to drag them ashore for burial.

Shen Mu opened his Azure Heaven Eye and looked across the river. On the far bank stood a broken city, where scattered fighting still flickered, for within the city there still burst the many-colored lights of divine abilities.

Yet the scale of the fighting was small now; the army of Jingping must be wiping out the last of the enemy within the city. Fan Yunxiao brought the tower ship to a halt and descended slowly toward the military camp.

Soldiers flew up to the ship to question them; learning that they were scholars of the Grand Academy, they at once waved their banners, and the archers below lowered their bows.

The tower ship landed in the camp. Fan Yunxiao, one eye black and one eye white, gazed at the scattered fighting on the far bank, glanced at Shen Wanyun, Yun Que and the others, and shook his head. "Brother Shen, these scholars of yours can only drag you down; they are no help.

In a battle of any size, you scholars are of no use at all -- you will be hard put to keep yourselves alive. I am off. When I have got enough dark iron and the blueprints for a treasure ship, I will come find you! " With that, he had the pirates aboard fire up the pill furnace, and sailed away. Yun Que and the rest were badly shaken. Shen Wanyun sneered, "That man's strength is not bad, but his judgment is sorely lacking. " A general came over and asked, "Are you scholars of the Grand Academy?

" Shen Mu nodded. "Is Vice Prefect Yuyuan Chuyu of Lizhou Prefecture at the front?

Might I trouble you to announce me -- say that Shen Mu of Dijiang County requests an audience.

" The general was astonished, and not daring to be negligent, hurried off. Before long, the clatter of armor came to their ears.

They all looked toward the sound, and saw a woman general approaching, clad in armor with a helmet tucked under her arm -- a figure of martial splendor, and of rare beauty besides, cheeks powdered, lips red, the kind of face one does not forget.

She must have just come from the battlefield; there was still blood upon her. "So it is little brother Shen Mu. " Yuyuan Chuyu's gaze fell upon Shen Mu, and her eyes brightened.

"The little brother who walked out of Dijiang County a few months ago has made a name for himself.

I heard my elder brother speak of your affairs.

You have risen in the world now, and it gladdens my heart for you. " "You flatter me, sister. " Shen Mu flushed. "I concealed from you before that I came from the Wasteland.

" Yuyuan Chuyu said, "After you left, I kept wondering when Dijiang County had acquired a Shen family that could raise so outstanding a youth.

Later my brother sent word and spoke of you -- so you came from the Wasteland.

" Yun Que, Yue Qinghong and the others were shaken inwardly. Lizhou Prefecture was where every scholar of the Grand Academy who went out to temper himself made his base; who would have thought Shen Mu was in fact well acquainted with the Vice Prefect of Lizhou Prefecture! Such a great regional official was a frontier governor in her own right, and beyond that, Yuyuan Chuyu's origins were extraordinary -- she was the princess of the former Yuyuan Kingdom, and the other Yuyuan crown prince, Yuyuan Chuyun, had become a great general in the capital.

Shen Mu was plainly nothing but a cast-off from the Wasteland -- how had he come to have ties with Yuyuan Chuyu? "Sister Chuyu, what of the Corpse Immortal Cult?

" Shen Mu asked. "I have already put down the Corpse Immortal Cult, but some remnants escaped and fled to the Southern Wilds. " Yuyuan Chuyu led them up onto the city wall.

"The Southern Wilds now gather rebels of every stripe, along with every sect that has risen in revolt -- a tangle of powers.

Every city along the river has garrisoned troops and stands on strict defense.

In a few days we shall attack into the Southern Wilds; but these waters run too deep, and the situation is not yet clear.

" "The waters run too deep? " They were all startled. Yuyuan Chuyu smiled. "In times like these, do you know who is loyal and who is treacherous?

Take me, for instance -- I am the princess of a fallen kingdom, Yuyuan.

How do you know I will not turn rebel the next moment? " Cold sweat broke out on the brows of Shen Wanyun and the others; they greatly feared that this dashing woman general might turn on them and kill them the next instant, and declare rebellion. Yuyuan Chuyu said calmly, "The court is bound too tightly to the age that came before.

The Imperial Preceptor of Jingping wishes to build a wholly new age upon that foundation, but the forces he can use are, more often than not, the forces of the old age. His new age cannot wholly shake off the influence of the old, so who knows which sect, which powerful minister, will be the next to turn traitor?

" The monk Yun Que quavered, "But the Vice Prefect will not turn traitor, will she? " Yuyuan Chuyu looked at him, and a smile came over her face that made the blood run cold. Softly she said, "Guess. Guess right, and you may live. " Yun Que's face turned ashen; he was frightened out of his wits.

A great regional official like Yuyuan Chuyu had cultivated a formidable presence.

Though she was a woman, a single chill in her expression could reduce a man to collapse. Yuyuan Chuyu gave a light laugh, then summoned a general and gave him an order.

The general at once deployed troops, and a force of more than a thousand men came.

Yuyuan Chuyu descended the city tower and stepped out onto the river's surface; behind her, more than a thousand officers and men stepped out as well, treading the river's face, walking toward the far bank. Shen Mu followed her, his steps falling on the river's surface, vital essence bursting from the soles of his feet to hold him steady.

He smiled. "Sister, do not frighten him.

" Shen Wanyun and the others hurried to follow, each urging on his vital essence so as not to sink into the water. They could run across water, but to walk unhurriedly upon it was somewhat taxing; besides controlling the water, it required deep and powerful cultivation of vital essence.

Yuyuan Chuyu said with interest, "Little brother does not think I will rebel against the court? " Shen Mu shook his head.

"Because this rebellion is itself a trap the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping set to purge the court and the realm.

Sister is a clever woman, and sees it clearly. Had you been a little more foolish, you would have rebelled long ago, and would not have waited until today.

" Yuyuan Chuyu laughed.

"What you say is both right and wrong. The reason I do not rebel is not simply that I am clever enough. There was no small number who came to urge me to rebel, all full of confidence, certain they could make me rise.