Chapter 219: Chapter 219: True Monarch Minmian? We’re All Bros

A moment later, the Array at the mouth of the river slowly split open, revealing a gap.

A woman clad in cyan armor stepped out from the gap, walking across the water’s surface.

She looked to be about thirty, her expression cool and aloof. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, and a short blade hung at her waist.

’Third Realm,’ Zhu Ge noted, ’but I don’t know which path she follows.’

"Follow me." She glanced at Zhu Ge, then turned and walked back toward the Array.

Zhu Ge followed her, passing through the gap in the Array and entering Yuan Yang City.

The scene before him gave him a slight pause.

Yuan Yang City was unlike any other city he had ever seen. It floated high in the sky, with the Red River flowing beneath it. A portion of the river’s water was diverted into channels within the city, irrigating vast expanses of terraced fields.

Yuan Yang City was a massive mountain.

The terraced fields cascaded layer upon layer, stretching from the city’s edge to its center—from the foot of the mountain all the way to its peak.

Along the way, various houses and streets were interspersed with rice paddies, creating a unique and charming landscape.

Just as Zhu Ge had thought earlier, if this were a world at peace, this place would surely be teeming with tourists.

Unfortunately, the paths between the fields were now crowded with people in ragged clothes.

Some were digging for wild vegetables, some were lining up for watery porridge, and others lay by the roadside, on the verge of death.

"Three months ago, there were still a million people in this city." Noticing Zhu Ge’s gaze, the woman spoke as they walked.

"Now, fewer than six hundred thousand are still breathing. People die of starvation and disease every day."

Zhu Ge sighed as well. "How much longer can the city’s food supply last?"

"Ten days." The woman paused. "If we ration it carefully, maybe half a month. But with hundreds of thousands of mouths to feed, no amount of rationing will make it last much longer."

Presumably because she believed Zhu Ge to be a Jingzhe Official, the woman felt a certain affinity for him.

She explained the situation and answered his questions as they went.

The two of them walked up along the terraces, arriving at the city center.

The buildings here were in better condition than those at the city’s edge, mostly houses of blue brick and tile. However, many had been destroyed, leaving only crumbling walls and ruins.

The streets were sparsely populated. The few Soldiers on patrol were sallow-faced and gaunt, their eyes weary.

"This used to be a bustling market," the woman said, pointing to an empty street. "It was always crowded with people, selling all sorts of things. Now, there’s nothing left."

Zhu Ge’s heart grew heavy as he looked at the shuttered storefronts.

The City Lord’s Mansion sat on a high platform in the center of the city. It was a three-story pavilion built of redwood and jade, overlooking the entire metropolis.

The pavilion was surrounded by Array Patterns that emitted a faint red glow, but some of the patterns were damaged, and the light had dimmed considerably.

"Hongmi Immortal is inside." The woman stopped at the entrance. "You can go in by yourself. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving."

Zhu Ge nodded his thanks, then pushed open the doors to the City Lord’s Mansion and walked inside.

The first floor was a spacious but sparsely furnished council hall.

There were a few long tables, dozens of wooden chairs, and a map of Red River Prefecture hanging on the wall.

The tables were piled high with documents and battle reports, and several civil servants were busy organizing them.

"The Jingzhe Official from Jianshui City?" A young Civil Servant looked up, recognized him, and quickly stood. "The City Lord is waiting for you on the second floor. Please, follow me."

’So much red tape...’ Zhu Ge grumbled inwardly, then followed the man up to the second floor.

The second floor was a small reception room, even more plainly furnished with just a square table, four wooden chairs, and a piece of calligraphy on the wall.

An old man in a red robe sat upright at the table, holding a cup of tea and sipping it slowly.

His hair was white, his face withered, his eyes sunken, and his lips chapped. It was clear he hadn’t had a proper rest in a very long time.

But his back was ramrod straight, and his gaze was as sharp as a falcon’s.

’Fourth Realm, a Great Immortal!’

’The Yuan Yang City Lord!’

This world was vast—Red River Prefecture alone spanned millions of li. And the Yuan Yang City Lord was the strongest expert presiding over this immense territory!

Zhu Ge cupped his fist. "Greetings, City Lord."

"You’re the Jingzhe Official?" Hongmi Immortal set down his teacup, his bright eyes fixing on Zhu Ge. "Did you kill the Raincoat Fisherman?"

That single question would have sent a chill down anyone else’s spine.

’The Raincoat Fisherman!’

Although the Yuan Yang City Lord had phrased it as a question, his tone was one of absolute certainty.

"I did," Zhu Ge admitted frankly. "He wanted to kill me, so I killed him."

’There’s no point in hiding it.’

’It’s better to be upfront.’

After all, he had no idea what the Raincoat Fisherman might have told the Yuan Yang City Lord.

However, he had learned a bit about the Yuan Yang City Lord and knew that while men like him were decisive and ruthless, they always prioritized their own interests.

’From a practical standpoint, I’m far more useful than the Raincoat Fisherman ever was.’

"Insolent!"

Hongmi Immortal erupted in fury. A boundless aura burst forth, pressing down on Zhu Ge with immense force.

Nothing in the room moved, yet Zhu Ge felt as if a mountain had been dropped on him.

But in that same instant, Zhu Ge spoke calmly, "City Lord, there’s no need for this. We are both intelligent men; we can skip the unnecessary formalities. Right now, we should be focusing all our efforts on dealing with the Plague God Sparrow and the Red River Dragon Python."

As his words fell, the boundless aura vanished. In a flash, Hongmi Immortal’s expression returned to how it had been when Zhu Ge first entered.

He picked up his teacup with a smile, took a sip, and chuckled.

"A mere First Realm cultivator like you managed to take down the Raincoat Fisherman? Truly, a hero emerges from the younger generation. I expect to see your name on this year’s Raccoon Fur List."

"That is not my desire," Zhu Ge said, shaking his head. "City Lord, you should know that I have already brought cities like Jianshui and Mengzi under my control. I did not come here to discuss the Raincoat Fisherman."

Zhu Ge showed no particular reverence or fear toward Hongmi Immortal.

He was neither servile nor overbearing.

He was here to negotiate and understand the situation, not to beg or kneel.

Besides, he trusted that Hongmi Immortal would make his own judgment.

"Reasonable." Hongmi Immortal nodded slightly. "What strategy do you propose? Yuan Yang City and Red River Prefecture are in a precarious position, like a stack of eggs. The slightest misstep could bring catastrophic ruin. We cannot be careless."

"Precisely," Zhu Ge agreed. "This is what I wish to discuss with you, Great Immortal. If we succeed, how about you pledge your allegiance to my Six Paths Palace?"

’Pledge allegiance to the Six Paths Palace?’

Hearing this, Hongmi Immortal’s expression flickered. He looked at Zhu Ge in astonishment. "The Six Paths Palace... the Six Paths Palace... what is this Six Paths Palace...?"

He looked at Zhu Ge with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation in his eyes.

"That is something I cannot speak of," Zhu Ge said, shaking his head.

’Why can’t I speak of it?’

’Because I’m pulling a massive bluff right now!’

’Using True Monarch Minmian’s name to build myself up!’

By being vague, he was using the name "Six Paths Palace" to make Hongmi Immortal mistakenly believe it was some great, unheard-of power.

Furthermore, with the recent turmoil in Red River Prefecture and True Monarch Minmian’s campaign against Nanyue Mianhuang...

...a combination of events like this was perfect for making an over-thinker like Hongmi Immortal fill in the blanks himself.

Besides, it wasn’t as if Zhu Ge had absolutely no connection to True Monarch Minmian.

"You cannot speak of it?" Hongmi Immortal frowned.

The next moment, Zhu Ge smiled. "True Monarch Minmian, who recently cut down Nanyue Mianhuang with his sword, is a brother to me."

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