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"It looks like things aren’t going smoothly over in Nanming Prefecture..."

Inside the military tent, several deputy generals huddled together, their faces showing a rare hint of solemnity in recent months.

Primarily because these past few months had been too good to them.

Whether it was food and drink or the prospects of the future, all were incredibly delightful.

And amid the rapid changes in Jiangnan, they felt a strong sense of involvement.

The mental state of everyone, including Tian Heng, was worlds apart from before, almost always going to sleep with a smile on their faces.

Had it not been for today’s news, they might have forgotten what worry felt like.

But the issue at hand was indeed quite concerning.

During the joyous half-year, many had even forgotten about their wives and children, but in the deep quiet of the night, they couldn’t help but worry. And now... it had finally arrived.

A few days ago, when the Imperial Army besieged them, they had felt this concern once before, fearing an opposition. Confrontation was one thing; what they feared more was that the dream-like Jiangnan could be shattered in a moment by the nobles of the Imperial Court!

"Wasn’t it said that things were going smoothly before?" asked one of the tall, thin deputy generals cautiously, "It was reported that in just one day they had defeated the Imperial... cough cough... the new Imperial Army and even captured Lord Weichi Peng, isn’t it?"

Tian Heng also frowned upon hearing this. When he first learned that Weichi Peng had been captured, he was thrilled deep down.

He knew well the shortage of troops within the Imperial Court; by capturing Weichi Peng so swiftly, Chen Qing had actually gained the qualifications to negotiate with the Imperial Court.

Following the previous path, if willing to continue pledging allegiance without damaging the Imperial Court’s face, while also conceding some benefits, Jiangnan could continue to develop securely.

With the rate of Chen Qing’s power expansion, they could take on the Imperial Court within a maximum of five years!

But Chen Qing seemed impatient, calling together the forces from all directions for an alliance after slight victories. His steps were indeed too hasty!

Tian Heng was aware of Chen Qing’s concerns.

Situated between three powers, Jiangnan was not only a vital thoroughfare but also a battleground from all four sides; any power could take a swipe at them.

Before the ancient times reopened, should any power wish to uproot him as a preemptive move, the other powers would surely respond, inevitably leading to trouble if surrounded on three fronts.

Hence, the best method was to provide a deterrent early on, yet Tian Heng saw this as too risky.

Especially since Chen Qing revealed to him his intention to capture Lumings alive as a show of power!

Frankly, as an old vassal, he wasn’t too keen to get involved, but Chen Qing didn’t press him, merely informing him out of respect—a very enlightened ruler indeed.

He also knew that Duke of Qin, after falling into Jiangnan, had not shown himself for a full two years, and even after the mists became traversable, he didn’t leave Jiangnan to aid his son in the West Sea, which indicated... he had designs on Jiangnan.

He could guess what others would say: that Lumings was an aloof individual. Yet, he knew Lumings well; a man who would marry a demon was always an ambitious sort, just that compared to the Siao Family head from yesteryears, his goals were grander and hidden much deeper.

Now that the other side was scheming over Jiangnan and Chen Qing wished to use him to establish authority, Tian Heng deemed it natural—everyone resorted to their own methods!

But judging by the urgency of Chen Qing’s message, it likely... hadn’t gone smoothly.

Contacting someone with a divine seal from a distance required expending Divine Power, the farther the distance, the greater the consumption.

Nanyang wasn’t close to Nanming Prefecture; if it wasn’t absolutely urgent, Chen Qing wouldn’t have had him go to Nanming to meet up with Chen Ying without even waiting for a flying message.

"My lord, what do you think?" Lan Xiang couldn’t help but ask.

Tian Heng rubbed his fingers together and after a long while said, "His Majesty... most likely encountered some unexpected issues because of Lumings..."

Lumings...

All the deputy generals fell silent. Just over a year ago, they were firmly part of the Duke of Qin’s forces.

"The reason he summoned me this time, most likely... is also to deal with Lumings. What do you all think?"

This question... was about where their loyalty lay!

The men exchanged silent glances before Lan Xiang finally spoke, "My lord, since we have pledged ourselves to a new master, there shouldn’t be a need to discuss the choice between the new and old, right?

Besides, Lumings has been in Jiangnan for so long and surely knows of our existence, yet he has never reached out to us.

Doesn’t that mean... he has completely stopped trusting us? "

Tian Heng nodded. Lumings was a person with a broad exterior but narrow-minded interior.

He hesitated for half a year, waiting for Lumings to reach out to him, but in the end, Lumings preferred staying by the widow’s side rather than making any attempt to contact any of them, clearly suspicious of them.

It was after Chen Qing informed him of Lumings’ whereabouts that he had finally resolved to accept the imperial edict.

Having chosen this path, he naturally couldn’t betray the new master for the sake of the old.

Moreover... Chen Qing had been quite generous with them.

Only after gaining full control did Tian Heng realize the extent of the Sea God’s authority; his own rights were no less than those of the Shen Family’s underworld gods and, in terms of scope and potential, even greater.

The City God of the underworld, though holding sway over life, death, and the yin and yang, with immense authority, could only rule over one city.

Even if one later took the position of the Capital City’s City God, one could still only govern a single city.

But should he succeed in the future, he could control a quarter of the world’s water systems!

This world refers not just to the Central Plains!

The domains influenced by the water flows of the West Sea would become within the reach of his divine powers, an authority even greater than that of a Vassal King.

Not to mention the enhancements to oneself and one’s subordinates granted by the divine system, a favor as great as a second creation.

Back then, Lumings trusted him because he and his men were fighters.

Although he was given some opportunities, it was he and his men who fought fiercely for what they had, blade and spear in hand.

When the Lu Family rose in power, his Tian lineage lost the most men, and although he was ultimately made a Duke, his status within Duke of Qin’s influence was not that high.

Several critical positions, such as the defense points of the eastern and western seas, Lumings...never considered him.

After the establishment of Great Jin, he spent a full twenty years in the Capital City under the Emperor’s watchful eye alongside Lumings!

He...owes Lumings nothing. But he owes much to Chen Qing. If he truly had to choose an enemy between the two, even if reluctant, Tian Heng would never consider siding with Lumings from the beginning...

"My lord!" The other deputy generals also stood up.

"Lumings is not a good master. Even when his own son was in the West Sea, he could ignore his plight and remain hidden until now, which shows his ambitious and ruthless nature.

Such a person, although often capable of achieving great things, we. ..would rather follow Lord Chen!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Heng looked around, filled with a myriad of emotions.

In fact, he knew that these fellows could no longer return to serve under Duke of Qin after that half a year with the War God Army. Chen Qing...had given too much!

"Mind your titles in the future!" Tian Heng stood up and addressed everyone, "Lord Chen? He should be called our Sovereign!!"

All present broke into a grin and laughed: "Yes!!"

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"You mean to say...there’s nowhere to start?" In a certain room, Minister Pang’s stern, rigid face bore a sinister gaze as he looked at a group of women, creating an oddly eerie scene....

One would find it hard to imagine someone as majestic as Minister Pang showing a face so cruel and fearsome, a kind of perversion.

But the black-clothed women in the room were fortunate, or rather unfortunate, to witness it, each bowing their heads, trembling uncontrollably, struggling even to stand.

"We...we feel that Chen Qing...might have plans for the mother and daughter, and he must have already known about the master’s whereabouts!"

"So what?" Minister Pang’s voice was feminine, and his eyes, beastly amber and serpent-like, cold and frightening, moved step by step towards the leading speaker: "What did I command you to do?"

"To capture the mother and daughter alive, to sever the girl’s limbs, to force-feed her poison until she’s engorged, to flay and extract the tendons from that despicable woman, to infuse her with poison to create a Man-Eating Flower, keeping her conscious, to watch her own child be devoured before her very eyes. "

"Very well, what does what I ordered you to do have to do with your report?"

"I...I...I’m just worried about Madam and the master."

Boom!

The next second, the female leader’s head burst open; behind Minister Pang, a snake tail appeared out of nowhere, ending in a pointed stinger like that of a bee, still smeared with blood and flesh.

No one saw how Madam Lu had struck, all the women no longer dared to stand, dropping to their knees to beg for mercy!

They all knew the strength of their female leader, a Super First Rank being, yet in front of Madam Lu, she didn’t even have the chance to react before her death!

At this moment, they realized that no one could defy the monster before them!

"You wretched slave, how dare you worry about the master? Is the master someone for you to worry about?" The voice of Madam Lu, wearing Minister Pang’s face, was shrill, and with a flick of her tail, she incredulously turned the still-standing body of the female leader into a shower of flesh!

All the women trembled and lay prostrate on the ground, letting the blood and flesh fall upon them, shivering and not daring to look up.

For twenty years, the most trusted by Madam Lu was just...gone like that...

"I will say this one last time..." Madam Lu looked at all the women with a cold voice: "I only want the result I asked for before. If you can’t do it, just say you can’t do it, don’t use any excuse to prevaricate!"

"Yes...Madam!"

"Go! I’ll give you two more days!"

"Yes!"