Volume 3, Chapter 123 – Worldly Strife

Bai Xiang’s methods were too ruthless and efficient. As she followed the trail of Xiang Xian and the other woman toward Qiyun Circuit, she could still see some small-scale skirmishes along the way.

It was not only the Immortal Dynasty Dao soldiers who had been dispatched earlier launching resistance. There were also beast hordes that, having been interfered with by the illusory-tribulation rules of the blood abyss passage and thus fallen into “disorder,” had been polluted and aberrated. These things were also madly assaulting the provincial army’s defensive lines.

She took everything in with a glance and held it in her heart. Bai Xiang’s apparent speed did not change, but after she swept past, thunderclouds gathered of their own accord in the sky, giving birth to a scattering of blue tribulation lotuses that dropped thunder maces and blasted the demon hordes to pieces.

The small remnant forces should not be enough to stump the provincial troops here. She no longer paid attention to the situation on this side, accelerated past the banks of the Jing River, and on the opposite shore saw a bustling circuit city shrouded in black smoke.

Looking down over the streets, Bai Xiang could see ambulances parked by the roadside. They were not loading the wounded to rush them to hospital, but instead were unloading all kinds of tools from the compartments and directly putting up medical tents bearing red crosses in the open spaces.

The medical staff were beginning to move in, which meant the fighting should already have ceased.

Right now Master should be at the “False Core” realm. Her combat strength far surpassed ordinary Divine Fetus Earthly Masters; one on one, she was only a shade weaker than the three grandmasters of the National Preceptor’s Manor. There was indeed no one here who could be her match.

Perhaps she had hovered in midair a bit too long. Soon, a rumbling approached: several armed helicopters, forming a triangle, surrounded Bai Xiang.

So they even had an air force.

Seeing these people, Bai Xiang finally relaxed. The damage to Qiyun Circuit should not be too great; it might not even compare to the havoc Yao Qingyuan had wreaked here last time.

Not bad.

She gave herself a fairly high score in her heart.

Although she had delayed somewhat in comprehending and breaking through, the timing of her return was still not late.

The helicopter encirclement was quickly lifted because some of the soldiers recognized Bai Xiang. She readily accepted their invitation, rode the helicopter down to a small plaza under temporary military control, and landed there. Across the street was the State Chancery residence.

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“Dao Lord Bai!”

Fang Xiaochun had already received the news and personally led people to greet her in the plaza. Seeing Bai Xiang descend barefoot, he froze for a moment, then hurriedly shot a look at Tao Shuohua beside him. She flashed Bai Xiang a mischievous smile, then turned and hurried away.

She is probably going to get me some clothes.

Bai Xiang guessed what she was up to and did not call it out. She simply stayed here and began talking with the Governor of Qizhou.

“Thanks to Dao Lord Bai, the dire crisis in Qizhou can be considered resolved!” Fang Xiaochun saw her casually pick a round stone bollard and sit on it, so he leaned against the stone bollard opposite. His eyes shone as he stared at Bai Xiang. “I must thank Dao Lord Bai on behalf of the people of Qizhou for saving their lives!”

The damage Qiyun Circuit had suffered was only skin-deep; even the communications network had been preserved quite well. Fang Xiaochun naturally knew what had happened out on the Jing River plain, and no longer dared to call her “Miss Xiang” like before.

On the one hand, the debt of gratitude he owed was far too great; on the other, it was also the living beings’ instinctive awe toward the strong.

Think about it. First there was Yao Qingyuan, then the great demon tide disaster, then the blood abyss erupting and the demon race invading. Every single time it had been Bai Xiang who, by herself, turned back the collapsing heavens so they could escape calamity.

Even though Fang Xiaochun was the Governor of Qizhou, in front of Bai Xiang he had, step by step, lost his confidence. He involuntarily lowered his stance to the extreme, even subconsciously afraid that some slip of the tongue might be improper and offend this supreme powerhouse.

And she truly deserved it.

The Shenwu Immortal Dynasty should not have been this pathetic, besieging Qiyun Circuit for half the day without taking it. The only reason things ended up this way was because Crown Prince Wu Qing had placed far too much weight on the status of Maozhou.

Maozhou had drawn most of the attention of the National Preceptor’s Manor and the Immortal Dynasty Dao soldiers. Just when they were about ready to descend, all the Illusory Realm nodes laid down in Maozhou were uprooted by Bai Xiang.

Forced to go through the blood abyss, their forces were first worn down by nearly half in the passage. Once they emerged and gathered, they were intercepted by Bai Xiang midway, and on the plain were practically annihilated in one stroke.

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Every time, she struck right at the seven inches of their plans, which was why this giant power ended up looking so foolish.

And even so, this was still not the entirety of the Shenwu Immortal Dynasty’s strength.

Fang Xiaochun had already spoken with Xiang Xian and the others, and the information he knew was actually more than even Xiang Xian or Bai Xiang. He understood deeply that Qizhou now simply could not do without Bai Xiang.

She was not only the ruler of Maozhou, but also the guardian deity of the southern Qi lands.

“Lord Fang, there is no need to be so formal.” Bai Xiang narrowed her eyes, observing his expression. Seeing that he had misgivings, she followed up, asking, “Is there bad news from other places?”

“Lord Lu is gravely injured and on the verge of death. We still don’t know if he can be saved.” Fang Xiaochun sighed. “Out in the Western Wastes, Commander Zheng led troops to drive away the Western Wu ancient clans, but unexpectedly fell into those apes’ schemes. They took advantage of Xifeng Circuit’s defenses being empty to invade and occupy it. We’ve now lost contact.”

“The last communication from Liangzhou Prefecture reported an invasion by the sea tribes. Afterwards, we tried to contact them, but there has been no response.”

“And in Xuzhou the waters are rising, while Luezhou is in severe drought.”

Fang Xiaochun shook his head. “If we add in the northern border, which has not sent back any news for more than a week, our dynasty can be said to be on fire everywhere, under attack from front and back. Who knows how many more calamities there are.”

He was, after all, a civil official. Faced with disasters like these, it was inevitable that his strength would fall short. Normally, even in front of Fang Wenya, he had to put on a strong front. Only before Bai Xiang did he lose control and let such feelings show.

Because Bai Xiang was too strong, and too dependable.

He no longer felt that showing this side of himself counted as losing face.

So Liangzhou, Xuzhou, and Luezhou have all been dragged in as well?

Bai Xiang frowned, falling into thought.

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Liangzhou was tied to her grandfather’s old friendship. Xuzhou was the territory the Kong father and son had built up. As for Luezhou, there was no need to think about it: it was the very foothold where Tao Shuohua and Tao Muyun, father and daughter, made their home. If something happened to these places, there was no way they would sit idle.

Tao Shuohua would probably have to rush back in less than two days.

The others were the same. Kong Tianbao and Kong An also could not possibly continue living in Maozhou.

Bai Xiang asked a few more details and learned that old man Wang Ran was actually fine. He was currently leading disciples of the Dao to provide disaster relief and had no time to come see her for the moment.

As for Zezhou, whether it was good luck or that the terrain there was too harsh, no one had set their sights on it, probably because of the swamps and miasma everywhere. Abbess Li Sheng had guarded Shangqing Sword Dao there for several days without even having a chance to make a move.

After Bai Xiang and Fang Xiaochun discussed matters for a while, they felt that this might still not be the most difficult time.

“On this trip to Luohou, I saw quite a bit of turmoil outside.” Bai Xiang also shared what she had seen and heard. “The royal families of many small countries, and their multinational conglomerates, have all been infiltrated and taken over by them. In comparison, the chaos in Great Yu is actually not that bad.”

Is it really that extreme?

This was the first time Fang Xiaochun had learned of this. His brows knit tightly as he slowly said, “If so… I’m afraid the order of the human world is in for a major reshuffle.”

On the surface, one might not see much. For the people of some small countries, it might just mean a few weeks without power, communication cut off for a few weeks, then after some time things returned to normal. They would find that their royal house had a new heir, and those famous companies and conglomerates were suddenly promoting some newcomer to center stage.

But in reality, everything on the inside had already changed.

Those federal nations and multinational conglomerates might already have been occupied and controlled by the forces behind the Illusory Realm. For Great Yu, which at this moment could truly be called beset by internal troubles and external threats, this was not good news.

Fang Xiaochun even recalled those “great chaotic eras” in history.

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If… if we cannot withstand this impact, the Nine Provinces of Great Yu will inevitably be carved up by foreign races and split once more into all sorts of tribes and Demon Kingdoms.

“We are not yet at that point.”

Bai Xiang, however, offered a different reading.

She was actually not worried about the northern border, because of Chu Weiping. If he, through Qin Wuyang’s avatar, had received the spirit-pointing gift she had given him; if he really was as stunningly talented as the rumors said, then the “Blood-Soul Heaven” that had laid out its plans in the north would definitely have to learn anew what “Sword Lord” meant.

“It is just that with the court falling silent, ignoring all disasters except those in the northern border, we cannot sit here and await death. We have to think of a way to organize a counterattack.”

Here it comes!

Hearing this, Fang Xiaochun’s spirits lifted. “What does Dao Lord Bai intend?”

Bai Xiang continued, “The first step is of course to contact Maozhou, Qizhou, Zezhou, Xuzhou, and Luezhou. These places still have functioning communications. On that basis we can form a strategic alliance, using the State Chanceries, or simply the Dao Lords of the Nine Prefectures, as the leading body for discussion and coordination.”

Fang Xiaochun nodded. It ought to be so.

“The second step is to find a way to rush to the aid of Xizhou and Liangzhou, at least to find out why those two places have gone dark.”

“And the third step…”

At this point, Bai Xiang paused slightly, then, under Fang Xiaochun’s stunned gaze, slowly said, “I plan to make my cultivation method public.”