Second Brother Will Have a Good Talk with Him

Seeing the hesitation on Chen Wei's face, Yang Niansan smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "My lord, could it be that you're too thin-skinned to offer your plan to the Holy Manifestation True Lord?"

"No, wait..." Chen Wei quickly came to his senses and tried to interrupt.

"Oh, there's no need to worry!" Yang Niansan snapped her folding fan shut and declared confidently, "I'm quite well acquainted with the Holy Manifestation True Lord! How could we let such a splendid chance to claim credit and seek a reward slip away? I'll put in a few words for you, my lord, and guarantee that the True Lord entrusts the entire assignment to us!"

This was getting further and further off track!

Chen Wei sprang to his feet in alarm, waving his hands frantically. "Don't! Official Yang, we..."

"Oh, my lord! This is no time to be bashful!" Yang Niansan chided coyly, looking every bit a young woman wheedling for her way.

"No, what I mean is..." Chen Wei reached out anxiously, trying to stop her.

"Rest assured, my lord, I'll take care of everything! I'll be right back!" Before her words had finished ringing out, Yang Niansan flew away and vanished.

Chen Wei stood with his mouth half open. What he had wanted to say was-I'm not going!

Who wanted to volunteer for a death sentence before the Holy Manifestation True Lord? Wasn't it better to stay comfortably in the rear and fish in muddy waters?

Just then, Pang Long blinked and turned his gaze toward Ma Muzhi.

Ma Muzhi lifted his teacup for a light sip and gave Pang Long a slight nod. Certain messages passed between them without a sound.

Inside the central army's Flying Boat.

Yang Jian sat alone at his desk, studying the floating hydrological Cloud Map intently.

Suddenly.

A golden gleam flashed across the True Lord's forehead, and the vertical line there abruptly opened. "Third Sister! Before we set out, I personally ordered you confined to quarters. Right now, you should be shut inside your chambers in the Divine Hall of Justice, reflecting on your mistakes! How dare you escape without permission and come to the Heaven-Reaching River front? This is a flagrant violation of the Heavenly Laws!"

Caught red-handed by his heavenly eye.

Yang Niansan simply dropped the pretense, looking utterly unconcerned. "Second Brother! Don't get angry! We're brother and sister-why bring up the Heavenly Laws and spoil our harmony? What's so serious about breaking a mere confinement order?"

Well, now.

On her lips, violating the laws of Heaven had become a trifling matter not worth mentioning?

Yang Jian's swordlike brows shot up, and he said sternly, "No sophistry! Go back at once! What did you promise me before the expedition? Going back on your word-what sort of conduct is that?"

Faced with her elder brother's thunderous fury.

Yang Niansan showed no fear whatsoever. Planting both hands on her hips, she lifted her chin. "You're mistaken, Second Brother! The one who solemnly promised never to set half a step outside her room in the Divine Hall of Justice was Third Holy Mother Yang Chan of Mount Hua. But the person standing before you now is Yang Niansan, assistant official of the Censorate! What do Yang Chan's promises have to do with me, Yang Niansan?"

A scoundrel's logic, twisting words to force an argument.

Yet she delivered it with perfect clarity and conviction, as though all the justice of Heaven stood on her side.

"What a fine Yang Niansan you are!" Yang Jian laughed in sheer anger. Unwilling to waste any more words, he gathered golden light in his palm, preparing to unleash a mighty divine power and toss his younger sister back to the Heavenly Court.

Seeing that her second brother meant business, Yang Niansan hurriedly waved her hands. "Second Brother! Hold on! I didn't risk coming here to sightsee. I came specifically to ease your burdens and offer a peerless plan!"

"Let's hear it." The golden light in Yang Jian's hand paused.

Yang Niansan hurriedly spilled Pang Long's vicious scheme in full like beans pouring from a bamboo tube: force negotiations through fighting, while secretly sowing discord.

Once finished, she added smugly, "What do you think, Second Brother? With this plan, we can have the demons of the Heaven-Reaching River slaughtering one another within half a month. Then the Heavenly Court's army can press forward, swiftly quell the demon menace, and return in triumph!"

Who would have thought.

Yang Jian stared steadily at Yang Niansan. After a long while, the True Lord said without a ripple in his voice, "The plan is passable. But I have no desire to end this war quickly. So go back at once."

Yang Niansan froze. Second Brother didn't want to end it quickly?

Why?

They clearly had an overwhelming advantage in troops, and a sound plan for a swift victory. Why drag things out?

Yang Jian did not spell it out. If the war truly wrapped up in less than half a month, how could that possibly be allowed?

This matter had to proceed slowly.

Every single aspect of it was a profitable deal. Fighting and killing were merely the outer skin; the dealings and favors between immortals were its true body.

As for all the finer details.

He would not explain them.

Nor did he need to.

"Stop making trouble here." Yang Jian gathered his thoughts, his tone brooking no argument. "Moving the Heavenly Court's army is like tugging one hair and setting the whole body in motion. How could that possibly be allowed? Absolutely not! I'll cast a spell and send you back to Mount Hua right now!"

As his words fell.

The golden light in the True Lord's palm surged, reaching straight for Yang Niansan.

"I'm not going back!" Already prepared, Yang Niansan summoned an azure divine lamp that floated in the air, its wick blooming like a lotus.

This was an innate spiritual treasure-the Treasure Lotus Lamp!

In an instant, seven-colored divine light blazed forth, enclosing Yang Niansan in its protection. The golden light Yang Jian had unleashed struck the rainbow barrier, and the divine power of a Great Luo Golden Immortal was forcibly stopped.

However.

It could only hold him off for a moment.

If Yang Jian truly intended to kill, splitting that barrier would have been no harder than turning over his hand.

But how could the True Lord bear to hurt his own younger sister?

Seeing that she had even brought out the Treasure Lotus Lamp, Yang Jian feared a backlash from his spell might injure her. Helplessly, he dispersed the golden light in his palm.

"Nonsense!"

"Put that lamp away! We can talk this through. I'll let you stay!"

Hearing her second brother yield.

Yang Niansan beamed with delight. With a light tap of her fingertip, she tucked the Treasure Lotus Lamp into her sleeve. "You could've just agreed from the start! Brother, since you can't bear to finish the war quickly, our office can't simply sit waiting in the rear, can it? I'd like to borrow some troops!"

"Borrow troops?"

"Absolutely not. Ask for something else!"

Yang Jian refused without a second thought. How could his own younger sister be sent to the front? Blades had no eyes on a battlefield. What if she got so much as a bump or a scrape?

Lead troops?

Absolutely not!

Seeing her elder brother about to go back on his word, Yang Niansan grew anxious and stamped her foot. "You've misunderstood, Second Brother! Who said I wanted to lead troops into battle myself? I'm borrowing them for Chen Wei!"

"Him again!"

At that name, an inexplicable anger flared within Yang Jian, and he snapped, "Just what heaven-reaching abilities does that minor immortal possess? Have his ancestral graves in the mortal world started billowing nine-colored azure smoke? How else could he make the dignified Third Holy Mother lower herself to help him? Recommending him to the Bright Hall was one thing, but now you're actually seeking military command for him?"

Faced with her elder brother's thunderous fury.

Rather than shrinking back, Yang Niansan straightened her back and retorted, "Why shouldn't it be allowed? You just agreed to compromise with your own mouth, Second Brother! How can the mighty Justice Heavenly Deity go back on his word? Are you going to swallow the words you only just spoke?"

"Breaking your word-absolutely not!"

"Lending troops-how could that possibly be allowed?!"

The siblings traded one line after another, glaring at each other.

The same stubborn expressions, the same forceful tones-as though they had been cast from the very same mold.

There was no denying it: they were absolutely brother and sister.

Seeing that a head-on clash would not make Third Sister back down, Yang Jian swiftly changed tack and softened his voice. "Very well. Bring that Chen Qingquan here to speak with me face-to-face. If we hit it off, I'll allow him to borrow the troops."

"Really?" Yang Niansan's eyes lit up, convinced that her second brother had finally listened.

"Of course." For once, Yang Jian forced a smile onto his face. "Third Sister, go invite him at once. Let me properly acquaint myself with this gifted immortal, this prodigy my little sister admires so deeply! I'll have a good talk with him."

[I was halfway through writing when I touched my forehead and found it burning hot. I've got a fever! Sigh! I promised ten thousand words a day, but I'll have to rest first. Everyone, please remember to get plenty of rest, and don't follow my example. If I'm still not better tomorrow, I'll start the ten-thousand-word updates the day after! Thank you for understanding! Please leave good reviews! Please send free little gifts!]