355 Arriving in Beili Again
Ji Xue looked down and said evenly, "Your hungry ghost mask is not as good-looking as mine."
Kui was stunned for a moment. As arrogant as he was, even he didn’t know how to follow up from that.
"Look at mine." Ji Xue took out her own mask and placed it over her face. It was a scarlet red demon mask and in the night, anyone who saw it would shudder in fright.
Kui thought about it for a long time before he nodded. "I concede. But, it’s pointless to discuss this now because you’re about to die. And everything that belongs to you will become mine."
Ji Xue flipped off her horse and stood up. "They all say that the current Hidden River’s Kui is arrogant and egotistical. Looks like they were right. Don't you know who I am?"
"Of all the people who left Heavenly Revelations over the last few days, you were listed as the most suspicious. Three consecutive groups sent to intercept you have failed. You’re very dangerous. Dangerous things need to be eliminated, no matter who they are. Your identity is unimportant." Kui drew the long sword at his waist.
Ji Xue shook her head and spun her long staff in her hand, forming a staff flower. "You Hidden River people are always saying things that sound impressive but are very dumb. You actually have no idea what you’re doing. What you just said was wrong. My identity is very important. At the very least, if you knew who I am, you’d bring along more people."
"Are you stalling for time?" Kui sneered.
"No, I’m in a hurry, in fact. So, right now, I’m also very annoyed." Ji Xue tightened her grip on her Dragon-Carved Staff. "My surname is Ji, the Ji of Ji Ruofeng. I am the current Hallmaster of Bai Xiao Hall. Of course, I have another identity. Baihu!"
Ji Xue leaped up and slashed down with her staff.
How frightening was the name Ji Ruofeng? At the very least, it was no less than Luo Qingyang, who occupied the top tier of the Ultimate Experts List. Someone who could inherit his position as the Hallmaster of Bai Xiao Hall as well as the successor of the Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelations was no ordinary person.
But Kui had already lost once. He couldn’t afford to lose again!
He drew his sword.
"Kill!"
Off the coast of the eastern sea.
Heavenly Port Coastal City.
Lately, Commander Guo of Heavenly City had a constantly dour expression on his face. Because a whole lot of vagrant soldiers had arrived in his city. He didn’t know where these soldiers came from. They were decked out in exquisite armor and behaved like soldiers, but they wouldn’t say which army they were from. All of this made him very vexed. At first, there were just over ten of them. Later, it became hundreds. Now, more and more were gathering and he wondered what would happen if they became over a thousand people. By then, would the troops he had at hand be able to deal with them?
"Where are they now?" Commander Guo asked his men.
"In the southern city. They’ve packed a whole inn and they seem to know one another. Every day, they’re just drinking and chit-chatting. The surrounding residents have already complained several times. They thought these people in military armor were ours, complaining that we’re gathering to drink and make trouble, and if we don’t take care of this, they’re going to complain to the city," the soldier reported bitterly.
Commander Guo sighed. "At first, I thought they were just a few vagrant soldiers, but later, more and more appeared. If they continue making trouble like this, they’re going to get out of control. Jia Kui, bring a few men and come with me."
Commander Guo led a squad of soldiers and immediately rushed to the southern city. As expected from his reports, the place was bustling with noise and armored soldiers with blades strapped to their waists were walking all over the place, swinging the wine jugs in their hands.
"Greetings, soldiers," Commander Guo shouted respectfully.
No one paid any attention to him. People who were drinking continued to drink, people who were chatting continued to chat. The entire street was a racket, and Commander Guo’s imposing manner did not have any effect here.
"Greetings, soldiers." Commander Guo raised his volume and shouted again.
The entire street suddenly became silent.
A soldier put down his wine jug and walked over, grudging impatience written all over his face. "What d’you want?"
"In…insolence! How dare you show such disrespect to the Commander!" Jia Kui rebuked angrily.
The soldier turned his head and glared at him, and Jia Kui immediately stepped back in fright. The soldier snickered. "Commander?"
"My name is Guo Quan’an. I’m the commander of this Heavenly Port Coastal City. May I ask where you soldiers are from, and which army battalion you belong to?" Commander Guo smiled respectfully. "This humble subject did not receive any orders from the army, so the arrival of so many soldiers here has caused some alarm."
"Which army?" The soldier put down his wine jug and took a step forward.
"What are you doing?" Jia Kui gripped the hilt of his sabre.
The soldier raised a hand and gently brushed his fingers across his armor. "Do you see this?"
An emblem of a wolf’s fang was clearly visible on the shoulder piece of his armor.
Commander Guo was so frightened he broke into cold sweat immediately. He retreated a step and his voice was trembling. "I… I understand."
"Since you understand, you can go." The soldier picked up his wine jug again, turned around, and the entire street broke into a racket again.
Commander Guo turned around and led his troops back hurriedly.
"Commander, who on earth are they?" Jia Kui asked anxiously, seeing the look of panic on Commander Guo’s face.
"Langya Army!" Commander Guo pronounced solemnly.
"Langya Army… Does the Langya Army still exist in this world?" Jia Kui was stunned.
"Report to Heavenly Revelations! The former Langya Army has suddenly assembled. They’re planning a rebellion!" Commander Guo frowned. "Go to the barracks and assemble all the soldiers."
"Are we going to arrest all of them?" Jia Kui asked.
"Arrest your head. They’re all ferocious generals who fight one against a hundred. You think we can fight with them?" Commander Guo wiped away the sweat on his forehead. "This is terrible. Lockdown the city!"
"Co…Commander!" A soldier was rushing towards them on horseback.
Commander Guo frowned. "Now what?"
The man stopped his horse, panting heavily. "An... an army has entered the city?"
"Army? Army from where?" Commander Guo asked anxiously.
"They said they came from Ningzhi Military City. We can’t stop them!"
Whatever the soldier said next was drowned out by the sound of thunderous hooves. A battalion of soldiers in golden armor and twin blades on their backs were riding towards them.
The twin-bladed Ye Banner Battalion.
"Avoid." Commander Guo pulled the reins on his horse abruptly and stepped aside.
"Commander, this is..." Jia Kui's face was pale.
"That’s Beili General-in-chief Ye Xiaoying's personal army, the twin-bladed Ye Banner Battalion." Commander Guo’s expression had calmed down because he was very certain that this matter was already out of his hands.
"Why are they here?" Jia Kui asked.
"The Ye Banner Battalion was originally affiliated with the Langya Army. They are going to join them. They’re planning to rebel!" Commander Guo sighed.
"What should we do..." Jia Kui asked, his voice trembling.
"If we try to stop them now, they only need to move a finger to kill us all. If we don’t, we’ll be an accessory to rebellion and sentenced to execution, wiping out all three generations." Commander Guo looked up at the sky for a moment. "You ask, what should we do…"
Jia Kui thought for a while. "Why not… join them?"
Commander Guo reached over and smacked the back of Jia Kui's head. "Us? What would they need us for? Hurry and report this to the prefectural office!"
"Yes, yes, sir!" Jia Kui replied immediately.
Off the coast, a large ship appeared within sight of the people on shore, its headless warhawk flag fluttering in the wind.
Xiao Lingchen, all dressed in white, took a deep breath. "We're back."