Chapter 1718 — The Dream-Chasing Youth, Part One

The Heavenly River surged violently. Before and behind Meng Yungui, the hundred-odd Feather Ascension Camp officers and men were shaken until blood spurted from eyes, ears, mouths, and noses without cease; Meng Yungui gave a muffled groan and staggered back.

The greater part of that blow's power was concentrated upon him, shaking his primal spirit near to shattering; his heavenly palaces collapsed of themselves, and in a moment how many great halls were destroyed.

Within his body, his divine storehouses gave off a crackling roar; storehouse after storehouse showed horrifying fractures, line upon line, dreadful beyond words.

The Second Divine Martial Guard came on, and the other several armies swept around from front and rear, hemming in that tower-ship.

Meng Yungui suddenly laughed aloud, and cried in a stern voice: "Crown Prince, now!"

Scarce had his voice fallen when the Heavenly River surged violently, its waves raging. Beneath the Heavenly River, the vast body of the Black Tortoise rose like a continent, bearing tower-ship after tower-ship upon its back!

Crown Prince Youming stirred his divine powers, raising winds and waves, churning the Heavenly River, and carried those slave ships, brimming with Southern Heaven folk, away with a shriek!

Crown Prince Youming was the eldest son of the two Black Tortoise Emperors; his abilities were great, his cultivation and mana boundless, and with his heaven-granted gift he lifted tower-ship after tower-ship, catching the Heavenly Court's host unawares. Who knows how many were swallowed by the great waves and ground to powder amid the billows by Crown Prince Youming's powers!

The arrays of the other armies were broken, and the array of the Second Divine Martial Guard too showed a trace of disorder. Meng Yungui at once saw his chance, and leading his remnant troops burst out from the ship, charging the Second Divine Martial Guard and cutting them down helter-skelter.

Just as it seemed he would lead his men out through the encirclement, a flash of light passed, there came a thunderous boom, and Heavenly King Yiluo descended upon the tower-ship where Meng Yungui had stood but moments before.

Whoosh —

Heavenly King Yiluo spread his wings, and the deck of the tower-ship, houses and all, was torn up, revealing in the holds countless people shivering, old and young, women and children, and the able-bodied.

Meng Yungui halted, turned, his eyes bloodshot, his back arched, panting hoarsely, glaring savagely at Heavenly King Yiluo.

Heavenly King Yiluo smiled, beckoned, and a Southern Heavenly Gate crashed down, pressing upon the Heavenly River.

Crown Prince Youming had borne the tower-ships far off, and was about to come to Meng Yungui's rescue, when he was pinned down by this Southern Heavenly Gate and nearly fell out of the river.

"Crown Prince, escort the tower-ships away first."

Meng Yungui straightened his back and, without turning his head, cried aloud: "I will catch up with you!"

Crown Prince Youming turned, stirred the Heavenly River, and escorted those tower-ships and the Southern Heaven folk aboard them away.

"Kneel." Heavenly King Yiluo said, cold and indifferent.

Behind him, the people who filled the ship knelt one after another; not one dared stand. A child made to cry, but his mother covered his mouth.

Heavenly King Yiluo raised his hand and seized a woman, and with a mocking smile fixed upon Meng Yungui, said: "Heavenly Preceptor Meng, they are only slaves, only cattle, only food for the Heavenly Court's gods and demons. Every year countless head of cattle are offered up to the demigods. Why did you not betray the Heavenly Court for their sake back then? Why do you betray it only now?"

Meng Yungui's voice was hoarse; he gave a chuckle: "Back then I had only heard of it, I had not seen it. Having not seen it with my own eyes, though it grieved me, I could bear it. Now I have seen it, and it has moved my Dao-heart, and so I rebel."

He straightened his back and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth: "In the past the folk of the Southern Heaven could still live; they could live to sixty or seventy before becoming offerings. But now the Heavenly Court and Jingping are at war, and the war drags on and on; I fear the Southern Heaven will be eaten to extinction — not merely those of sixty or seventy, but even infants will be devoured! How could I bear it?"

Bai Yuqiong flew over, but did not come near; she stood silently at a distance.

Heavenly King Yiluo lifted his head, put the woman in his hand into his mouth, and swallowed her down, then said with a half-smile: "For them? For these cattle that do not know how to resist?"

He burst out laughing, and pointing at the people kneeling motionless behind him, said: "Apart from Heavenly Venerables and Heavenly Emperors, who in this world holds power above yours? And you rebel against the Heavenly Court for the sake of these cattle? Heavenly Preceptor Meng!"

His laugh grew somewhat mad: "All the gods say you are the First Heavenly Preceptor, your wisdom surpassing even Heavenly Preceptor Shang's; to my mind, you have made the most foolish decision of all!"

His smile vanished in an instant, and he said, utterly cold: "Kill him."