Chapter 1698 — The Chief of the Dao Sect
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Then you were still a wielder of divine powers, high-spirited and vigorous, and you let us starvelings of skin and bone see hope. " "I am also from that time. " Yet another god pushed back his visor. "We followed you through life and death. Many companions are gone, but we survived. " "And me! " "Me too! " "Not me, but my father. Before my father died he bade me follow the Celestial Master, never to abandon you! " Many other gods had not followed Meng Yungui since the calamity in Yuhua Heaven, but all had come this far by conviction and by trust in him.
"You taught us principle and righteousness, and told us where principle lies, righteousness permits no turning back. " An old general smiled. "Now is where principle lies, so we permit no turning back. We.
.
. " He went down on one knee upon the deck, his voice ringing.
"We swear to follow the Celestial Master unto death!
" Aboard ship after ship, the soldiers of the Yuhua Camp dropped to one knee as one, and their cry surged back and forth over the tributary of the Celestial River.
"We swear to follow the Celestial Master unto death!
" Meng Yungui's blood burned.
Raising his sword toward the Celestial Court, he laughed aloud. "Since you will not fail me, I shall never fail you.
Rise, all of you.
Today follow me in rebellion.
Overthrow the Celestial Court!
" The wind ran hard over the Celestial River. A gale drove great waves beating against the slave ships, and the slaves aboard trembled in terror, while upon the decks those human gods burned with fierce resolve, and at Meng Yungui's dispatch they sped to the other heavens of the Southern Heaven to sweep away the Court's power there.
They had to seal off all news and let no power of the Court in the Southern Heaven inform the Court. This rebellion had been decided on the spur of the moment.
Neither they nor the Court had been prepared, and so long as they cut off word, they could delay as long as possible and make full preparations.
Though they all knew that even with full preparations, theirs was likely a road to death. Meng Yungui ordered men to hasten at once to Yuhua Heaven to move the kin and families of his soldiers, and ordered others to steal secretly to the Celestial Court, for they had families there too, and they must move their loved ones before exposure, else the consequences would be unthinkable. "Wang Qing, set out for Jingping at once.
" Meng Yungui hesitated a moment, then still entrusted the letter to his most valued disciple, saying, "Deliver this letter to the emperor of Jingping.
" Wang Qing hesitated. "Master, Jingping is the very target the Court means to destroy.
This time the great army of the Court marches against Jingping, and Jingping has no spare troops to aid us.
Moreover, when we attacked the Taixu Land years ago, you yourself led the army against Wuyou Village and slew countless masters of Wuyou Village. I have heard that Emperor Yanfeng was then a general in Wuyou Village and suffered defeat at your hands, and Wuyou Village and Jingping are one. .
.
" Meng Yungui waved his hand. "Emperor Yanfeng has the bearing of a Celestial Emperor, surpassing even Emperor Haotian.
He will not blame us. Go swiftly. " Wang Qing took the command and sped to the Yuan Realm. Meng Yungui further ordered the removal of all humans in every heaven of the Southern Heaven, to take them far from the Celestial River region, to carry away grain and supplies, to strip the land bare and strengthen the walls, and to prepare for a decisive battle. His soldiers moved like his own limbs, and once a command was given it was swiftly done. Moreover, the humans of the Southern Heaven had been tamed like livestock, never resisting a god's command and enduring all without protest, which made their removal easier.