The river stretched wide, its opposite bank invisible at a glance. The surging waters, dark and yellow-hued, roared and surged forward like an enraged Dragon King.
When Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, along with others, once again descended into the world of gods and demons, the first thing they saw was this furious river. Ancient gods and demons had once clashed here, splitting the earth to form the river, whose torrents had never ceased for millennia. The lingering divine and demonic aura gradually fused with the river and terrain, rising straight into the heavens. Birds could not cross it, and external cultivators could not leap across its expanse. Only boats made from special wood could traverse it. Even a Grandmaster could only tread upon its surface for a hundred zhang before sinking. Once submerged, it would be extremely difficult to resurface.
Although cultivators with external techniques could hold their breath for a long time and walk along the riverbed on silt and strange rocks, the depths of the river harbored countless powerful and bizarre creatures, born from the residual divine and demonic energy. However, thanks to the seals reinforced by generations of powerful cultivators, these creatures were confined to the lower depths and rarely surfaced. Unless one was supremely confident, no one would choose to cross by walking along the riverbed.
A chilling breeze, heavy with terrifying, vast, and awe-inspiring pressure, blew toward them. Meng Qi shivered slightly, recalling the Six Gates’ description of the river. He focused his senses, scanning the surroundings for the camps of the Eighteen Rebel Armies.
“There’s a metallic, martial aura over there,” Qi Zhengyan pointed toward the left.
For this deadly mission, he had no intention of concealing his abilities anymore and was determined to give his all.
Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, and Zhao Heng were all surprised, having never heard of Qi Zhengyan’s such capability before. Meng Qi pretended not to notice their reactions and reminded them, “Everyone, be cautious. We might not be on Du Huaishang’s side. We might have been dropped on the opposite bank.”
Since it was a deadly mission, anything could happen.
Putting aside their surprise, Jiang Zhiwei and the others concealed their presence and cautiously followed Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan toward the left. After a while, they saw high platforms and fluttering banners along the riverbank, with hidden formations linking the eighteen camps into a dragon-like formation.
Banners marked with words like “Du,” “Red Robe,” “Zhu,” “Peaceful Sea,” “Miao,” and “Nine Mountains” came into view. Meng Qi exhaled in relief. The situation wasn’t too bad after all—at least they hadn’t been dropped on the opposite bank, which would have required great effort to cross back or sneak behind enemy lines.
“The camp layout is strict, drawing upon the killing intent and malevolent energy of countless soldiers. There must be a master of formations within the rebels,” Zhao Heng remarked.
Meng Qi glanced toward the river and noticed only about a hundred boats, which made his heart sink slightly. The battle seemed to be going poorly.
Since the camp was heavily guarded and hard to infiltrate, they all changed into the appearances they had used during their last descent and boldly approached the camp marked with “Red Robe” and “Du.”
Du Huaishang still owed them favors!
“We are hermits from afar, old friends of Lord Du. Hearing of his rebellion against the tyrant, we have come specially to assist,” Meng Qi bowed to the soldiers guarding the camp entrance.
A soldier who seemed to be the leader looked Meng Qi and the others up and down before speaking, “Esteemed sirs, please wait a moment while I go report.”
His tone was far from warm, quite indifferent. Meng Qi exchanged glances with Jiang Zhiwei, sensing that something was off.
The rebels seemed to be at a disadvantage, so why were they so cold toward newcomers offering help?
Could it be that spies had previously infiltrated under the guise of joining the rebellion, causing damage?
Confident in their past favor with the Red Robe Army, Meng Qi stood calmly, waiting patiently.
After a while, a middle-aged officer dressed as a general emerged, his face beaming with exaggerated warmth, like the heat of June. He apologized profusely, “We have been remiss. Please forgive our negligence, esteemed sirs.”
“It’s fine. Strict discipline is necessary in military affairs,” Meng Qi replied calmly.
The officer glanced at the group, especially at the more striking members, and his smile widened. He turned to lead the way, chatting casually and inquiring about their backgrounds.
“We come from near the Great Ning region and have old ties with Lord Du,” Meng Qi answered succinctly.
“No wonder, no wonder,” the officer chuckled. “My name is Xu Wei. I also joined the rebels because I felt the imperial court had lost its way, plunging the world into chaos.”
He mentioned the rebels, not the Red Robe Army. Meng Qi found this odd, but they had already arrived at a tent. Without announcing them, Xu Wei lifted the tent flap and entered directly.
Inside, the decor was simple, with only a desk holding scrolls and writing brushes. Behind the desk stood a tall, muscular man, over eight chi in height, with a smooth, bald head and piercing eyes that seemed almost tangible. A third eye, vertical and emerald-green, rested between his brows. His aura was immense and oppressive, making even the sea of spiritual energy in the heavens and earth reluctant to stir.
“This is King of the Peaceful Sea,” Xu Wei introduced with flattery.
King of the Peaceful Sea? Not the Heavenly Tyrant Du Huaishang? Jiang Zhiwei subtly gripped her sword hilt, while Ruan Yushu shifted her hands slightly, positioning her zither on her left arm, freeing her right hand for combat.
The man before them was definitely a Grandmaster-level expert!
Meng Qi, carrying both a sword and a saber, remained alert but kept his expression neutral, feigning ignorance. “The Red Robe Army’s King of the Peaceful Sea?”
“Not quite, not quite,” Xu Wei quickly corrected.
At this, the muscular man laughed heartily. “You all seem truly out of touch. I am Zhu, the leader of the Pacifying Navy. People are kind enough to call me the King of the Peaceful Sea.”
So he was merely one of the Eighteen Rebel Armies… Meng Qi bowed politely. “Your Majesty, but this seems to be the Red Robe Army’s camp?”
He deliberately feigned confusion.
The muscular man sighed. “I am guarding this place today.”
Did the Red Robe Army need leaders from other rebel factions to stand guard? Was it because they were too dominant, or because they were in a weak position? Meng Qi felt a slight unease. This deadly mission was proving to be as troublesome as expected. “Could it be that something has happened to the Red Robe Army?”
King Zhu sighed again. “Indeed. A few days ago, during a naval battle, Lord Du was ambushed by the ‘Emperor of Martial Arts’ and gravely wounded. If it weren’t for the Immovable Sage sacrificing himself to save Du and the divine weapon automatically protecting its master, Lord Du would have perished. Now he’s been unconscious for days with no sign of recovery. The rebels are all anxious. The Nine Mountains Army’s Miao Hu, the Overturning Army’s Feng Jingtang, and the Child Army’s Liu Shunshui have all started harboring their own ambitions. I had no choice but to come help guard the camp to prevent any treachery.”
A divine weapon automatically protecting its master… Meng Qi’s eyelid twitched. This mission was indeed terrifyingly difficult!
“We are skilled in medicinal arts and can help heal Lord Du,” Meng Qi deliberately pretended not to understand the hidden implications in King Zhu’s words.
King Zhu’s expression darkened. “If it were just healing pills, why would the situation have dragged on this long, causing such panic? Yesterday, a spy even tried to assassinate Lord Du, nearly succeeding and worsening his condition. Now the Immovable Sage has sealed off the central command tent, not allowing anyone near.”
His expression turned solemn, as though he bore the weight of the world. “If Lord Du were to pass away, there would be no one left to unite the rebels. They might scatter, giving the imperial court time to recover. I am not strong enough to stop them, but I hope to preserve some strength for the people. I beg you, gentlemen, to help.”
He had directly stated his intention to recruit them.
Meng Qi and his companions had not concealed their auras, and their cultivation levels could be roughly judged. To the rebels, who lacked many Grandmasters, they were definitely a force worth pursuing.
Coming straight into the Red Robe Army’s territory to recruit—this King Zhu was probably even more scheming than Miao Hu or Liu Shunshui… Meng Qi still didn’t fully understand the current state of the rebels and the imperial army, so he couldn’t afford to confront them directly and risk alerting the current leader of the Red Robe Army.
Thus, he let his emotions show on his face, pretending to be sorrowful. “We were old friends of Lord Du and came to join him. If he were to unfortunately pass away, we would naturally support someone who genuinely cares for the people.”
King Zhu nodded in satisfaction. “I will not disappoint you, gentlemen. Xu Wei.”
“At your command,” the officer stepped forward.
“Lead these gentlemen to an empty tent to rest while we await news of Lord Du,” King Zhu said with a “solemn” expression. “I shall go to the central command tent to plead your case with the Immovable Sage, to see if I can convince him to let you see Lord Du. Alas, we might as well treat a dead horse as a living one.”
As for whether he would actually go, Meng Qi could already guess the answer. He followed Xu Wei to a tent at the rear of the camp.
Xu Wei smiled broadly. “King Zhu showed courage from a young age. He became an outlaw at around ten years old, possessing a powerful bloodline and extraordinary talent. He has survived countless battles and founded the Pacifying Navy, ruling over the southeastern coastal regions. He is currently a Second-Rank expert, among the most formidable in the realm. If not for Lord Du’s divine weapon recognizing him as master and the Immovable Sage’s aid, King Zhu, with his Fifth-Rank cultivation, would have been the leader of the rebels. Following him now will bring great prospects for the future!”
He lavishly praised King Zhu before subtly probing Meng Qi and the others for information. However, Meng Qi, Jiang Zhiwei, and the rest were far too experienced. They talked much but revealed nothing of substance.
After Xu Wei left, Jiang Zhiwei suddenly said, “There are powerful watchers nearby.”
The Heart of the Heaven-Piercing Sword!
Meng Qi had sensed it too. He sent a wry mental message to his companions, “The rebels were already at a disadvantage, and now they’re riddled with internal conflicts and scheming. This deadly mission is indeed extremely difficult. And now even a divine weapon has appeared.”
“At least the divine weapon is with Du Huaishang,” Zhao Heng exhaled.
“The opposing side is an imperial court that has ruled for generations. They might also possess divine weapons for suppression…” Meng Qi paced for a moment. “I’ll change my appearance first and find someone I know in the Red Robe Army to get a clearer picture. If Du Huaishang’s injuries are not too severe, a single East Immortal Longevity Pill should suffice.”
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