Chapter 30: One Year

One year later.

Speed is of the essence in war. The Prince of Dongyang consolidated the Zhenshui King's troops and merged them into a single force, advancing with irresistible momentum. In just one short year, he conquered Yingnan County, his military spearhead pointing directly at Pingshan and Zhaoming Counties, while eyeing Xitai County.

After the Prince of Dongyang raised his banners to crusade against the puppet emperor, the imperial court was forced to redeploy troops southward, leaving them unable to suppress the unrest. The four northern counties, which had shown signs of stability, were thrown into utter chaos.

If the Prince of Dongyang successfully seized Pingshan, Xitai, and Zhaoming, he would form a pincer movement against the three counties of the imperial capital. With no way to retreat, the puppet emperor's court could essentially be declared defunct.

Pingshan County, Jiangzhou, Hening County.

A large portion of the refugees fleeing the north had remained in Jiangzhou. Unexpectedly, just as they had settled into a period of peace, Jiangzhou was about to be swept by the tides of war, forcing them to flee north once again. Not only the refugees, but most of the local residents of Jiangzhou also chose to leave their homes.

Bandits pass like combs, and soldiers pass like razors. For ordinary people, what else could they do to survive when faced with natural and man-made disasters?

A long dragon of people wound along the main road.

Qin Sang sat on a rock by the roadside, a blade of grass in his mouth. Beneath his feet were tattered straw sandals, and he wore coarse cloth clothes covered in patches. His face and hands were pitch black, his eyes were dull, and his hair—having not been washed for God knows how long—clumped in greasy locks that emitted a sour stench.

The "Water Monkey" Zhou Ning and another man leaned against a rock, dressed similarly to Qin Sang; the three of them were a trio of kindred spirits among the refugees.

This man was named Zheng Kun. He had studied martial arts under Bai Jianglan for many years and was one of the men Qin Sang had seen on the ship back then. Now, like the Water Monkey, he had joined the Blood Clothing Pavilion and become one of Qin Sang's subordinates.

Over the past year, Qin Sang had strictly adhered to his principles. While he hadn't earned a vast amount of merit, his intelligence was exceptionally accurate. Several instances of crucial information helped the army break through passes, earning him a reputation with the Prince. Coupled with the protection of the County Princess, he had climbed to a high position within the Blood Clothing Pavilion in just one year. He was now one of the Vice Hall Masters of the Military Division, while the position of Hall Master remained vacant, reserved specifically for him.

Qin Sang looked up at the sun, calculating the time. His seemingly vacant gaze was actually fixed intently on the gates of Hening County.

This main road connected all the way to Duling County to the south. The crowds of refugees on the road were not just from Hening County; many more were fleeing from Duling County along the way to escape the chaos.

The Prince of Dongyang's army was divided into two routes. The western army was personally led by the Prince of Dongyang, consisting of the Zhenshui King's main force and the surrendered troops from Yingnan County; they had already achieved significant victories in Zhaoyang County.

However, the eastern army was being held up beneath the walls of Duling County, having been in a stalemate with the puppet emperor's defenders for two months without making any headway.

Duling County occupied a strategic position and had been a contested military stronghold since ancient times, known as the throat of Pingshan County and Jiangzhou. Once Duling County fell, all of Jiangzhou would be left without any defensive strongholds. As the largest and most prosperous prefecture among the three in Pingshan, the fall of Jiangzhou would mean that Pingshan County was on the verge of collapse.

The puppet emperor had mobilized troops frantically, concentrating the entire military strength of Pingshan County at Duling County. Despite dozens of forceful assaults by the army, they all returned empty-handed with countless casualties. Consequently, a strategy of "repairing the gallery roads to feign an advance while secretly crossing via the Chencang route" was devised.

While the military camps beneath the city remained numerous and the momentum of the siege appeared unabated, two flanking units were quietly withdrawn under the cover of night. They dispersed into the mountains, moving through small mountain paths to infiltrate the heart of Jiangzhou, aiming to launch a surprise attack on Hening County and threaten Jiangzhou City.

Hening County lay in the heart of Jiangzhou. Now that the entire military force of Jiangzhou was concentrated at Duling County, the prefecture was left hollow. Once Hening County fell, the defenders in Duling County would find themselves in an impossible dilemma.

The southern part of Jiangzhou was mountainous, and the Blood Clothing Pavilion had long since scouted the routes. The possibility of the surprise attack succeeding was very high.

The strength of the two flanking units was already considerable. If the army in Duling County insisted on not returning to reinforce, and instead chose to continue reinforcing themselves to hold Hening County and pillage supplies, it would still make life difficult for them.

Qin Sang had brought Zhou Ning and Zheng Kun into the refugee crowd. His mission was to reach Hening County as quickly as possible, assess the situation, and strive to coordinate with the surprise forces to open the gates of Hening County, taking it in one fell swoop to prevent chaos.

Hening County was clearly on guard. The able-bodied men and bailiffs at the city gates were as vigilant as if facing a great enemy, their swords and blades never far from their hands. Any refugee of unknown identity who approached was shouted at and driven away, let alone allowed into the city.

"It's almost the hour of the Goat. Why hasn't that kid Liu Ji arrived yet?"

Qin Sang heard the Water Monkey complaining. He looked down; the Water Monkey was small and thin, with one arm missing. Combined with his current appearance, he looked more miserable than the refugees themselves.

Since losing his arm, the Water Monkey's temperament had become much more steady, which was why Qin Sang had agreed to take him under his command. However, old habits died hard, and he still loved to grumble when there was nothing to do.

The Water Monkey knew his limits, and Qin Sang did not scold him. He simply said, "Wait one more hour. Old Zheng, go keep a close eye on those wealthy households distributing porridge. We must enter the city before dark."

Liu Ji was a member of the Blood Clothing Pavilion. His ancestors were from Hening County, having branched off from the main Liu clan while traveling for business. After joining the Blood Clothing Pavilion, he had been arranged to return to Hening County to reclaim his roots, leading a few men to go undercover there.

After arriving in Hening County this morning, Qin Sang had immediately released a signal for Liu Ji to escort them into the city. The agreed-upon latest time was the hour of the Goat.

"You got it!"

Zheng Kun grinned, rolled on the ground, and scrambled up. With a hunched back, he limped into the queue of refugees, waiting for the porridge.

Feeling that sitting on the rock made him too conspicuous, Qin Sang jumped down to sit on the ground. He told the Water Monkey to keep a close eye on the city gates while he closed his eyes to feign sleep.

Mixing into the refugee crowds and traveling day and night had severely hindered his cultivation. Qin Sang knew his priorities; although his duties in the Blood Clothing Pavilion were complex, he had never ceased his training. For an entire year, he had hardly slept.

During this year, Qin Sang had always lingered around the battlefields, staying on the outermost edges to let the Yama King collect the souls of the dead. However, Qin Sang was unsure of the depth of the Jade Buddha's power and did not dare to let the Yama King run wild; every time a certain number of souls were collected, he would pull them back.

With a continuous supply of Soul Pills, Qin Sang's progress was rapid. He had already reached the peak of the second layer and would soon break through to the third layer of the *Netherworld Scripture*.

As for the *Mingwang Art*, Qin Sang had tried several times but failed to refine True Qi, confirming his suspicion: the "Qi" produced by the *Netherworld Scripture* was not the same as True Qi or internal strength. Since cultivating internal strength would encroach upon the time needed for the *Netherworld Scripture*, Qin Sang could only abandon it.

On the other hand, he constantly tempered his *Soul-Snatching Spear* and *Shadowless Steps*. His proficiency was now quite high. Combined with several other martial arts he had selected, he could be considered a first-rate expert even without using the Yama Banner.

Suddenly, Qin Sang heard a series of heavy footsteps approaching him. He opened his eyes alertly and saw a man who was also disguised as a refugee.

As the man reached his side, Qin Sang frowned and whispered sternly, "Zhang Wenkui, didn't I tell you to follow General Wang closely? Why did you leave your post on your own?"