Quinn Shepherd was stunned. He had no idea who this 'fellow Daoist' the Imperial Preceptor was talking about could be.
Yet the Imperial Preceptor of the Everpeace Empire confiding his feelings to him sent chills down Quinn's spine—he felt as if he could be killed and silenced at any moment.
"You don't need to worry."
The Imperial Preceptor seemed to read his thoughts and said leisurely, "I just felt like talking, that's all. You're a very good listener. If I were speaking to State Duke Wei and his wretched mouth, I wouldn’t dare say a word—otherwise, anything I mention would be all over the court by morning."
"State Duke Wei? I think Wei Yong is from the State Duke Wei’s family."
Quinn blinked. State Duke Wei, a top court official, also had a foul mouth? Wei Yong’s loose tongue was already headache enough—so it ran in the family.
The Imperial Preceptor said, "Besides, even though you’re an Academy Fellow with a sixth-rank office, you’re not a member of the formal court. It’s very safe to talk to you."
He smiled. "Most importantly, if the Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult says anything, no one would believe it anyway."
Quinn’s face darkened. The Heavenly Demon Cult had a fine reputation among the common folk, but in the imperial court and Jianghu, its name was infamous.
A group of generals approached. One of them bowed and said, "Preceptor, Heaven-Wave City is pacified."
The Imperial Preceptor nodded. The generals glanced at Quinn, puzzled, but Quinn simply smiled and nodded back.
"This is our empire’s very first Academy Fellow."
The Imperial Preceptor said, "Quinn Shepherd, Academy Fellow Quinn."
The generals saw that Quinn looked honest and dependable, dignified in bearing. Though young, he inspired trust. They couldn’t help but praise him: "Academy Fellow Quinn is truly mature for his age—a worthy first Academy Fellow, so talented and learned."
Quinn saluted them and said with a smile, "You flatter me, sirs."
The Imperial Preceptor turned to the south and said, "This battle was just a warm-up. The real fight is still ahead. Cough, cough..."
The generals were startled and hurried forward. "Preceptor, your injury—"
The Imperial Preceptor waved them off, his face a bit pale but quickly returning to normal. "Probably just a shock from killing that Nethervault Demon God earlier. It’s nothing serious. The rebel forces are entrenched in the south, and I intend to give them two choices. General Harold Ho."
A square-faced general bowed. "Preceptor, your orders!"
"Go south and tell those traitors and rebels: I’m here, and they have two paths to choose."
The Imperial Preceptor raised his hand and pointed toward the Southern Frontier, his expression icy. "The first path: I lead thousands of troops to crush everything—destroy their sects, their clans, their cults, wipe out nine generations. That's the law of the court: traitors and rebels meet this fate."
General Harold Ho listened intently. The Imperial Preceptor continued, "The second path follows Jianghu custom: I bring the court officials over, we mark out a field, and everyone fights by Jianghu rules. If they have the skill, they kill us—or we kill them. Two choices, let them pick."
General Harold Ho hesitated. "Preceptor, using Jianghu rules for this... isn't that improper?"
The Imperial Preceptor smiled. "Before I entered court, I was a Jianghu man myself—what's improper? Weren't you the same, General Ho? Didn't you come up from the Jianghu before joining the court?"
General Ho agreed. "I'll head south at once! But Preceptor, please take care of yourself. If they choose Jianghu rules, I'm afraid they might try to ambush you."
The Imperial Preceptor waved him off, and General Ho departed.
"General Wei."
"Preceptor, your command."
"Mobilize troops to cross the river, spread out in a fan from the Eastern Sea to the Great Ruins, and press south—fill the lakes as you cross, fill the rivers, raze the cities. Push straight toward the south."
The Imperial Preceptor said with a deadpan face, "Let these rebels feel the pressure."
General Victor Wei accepts the Preceptor’s order!
State Duke Wei.
"Preceptor, your command."
"State Duke, your cultivation is formidable and you excel at leading troops. You will command a direct assault on Da Xiang in the Southern Frontier. Vanguard Cavalry Grand General, Roving Cavalry General, each of you will lead an army to attack Da Xiang’s flanking cities. Supreme Pillar-State General, you’ll lead a force to strike Dayu."
The Imperial Preceptor finished assigning the troops. State Duke Wei laughed, "Preceptor, we’re all off to work—what about you?"
The Imperial Preceptor smiled, "I’ll follow behind you, waiting for the rebels to make their move. Besides, I’m still a bit injured and need to recover."
"You’re still not healed?"
State Duke Wei bellowed, "Then you really need to rest up! Isn’t the little divine doctor right here? Let him treat you. My wife snuck off to Flower Lane in the capital—I thought she was chasing women, turns out she went to see the little divine doctor for an illness. Scared me half to death, but I was honestly a little excited. Thought maybe she liked that sort of thing..."
The Imperial Preceptor coughed awkwardly, "State Duke, you should get moving. Da Xiang is the key stronghold in the Southern Frontier—a tough bone to crack."
State Duke Wei nodded, turned to leave, then called back to Quinn, "Little divine doctor, prescribe him something to fix that deadpan face—he can’t squeeze out a smile for his life. Heh, don’t act like you don’t know me. When my wife visited you for treatment, I secretly followed her. Thought she was going to sleep with women—really got me excited..."