Elsewhere.
Black Snake General was leading his forces at full speed, charging straight for Blazing Sun Island.
A trusted subordinate hurried forward, his face wreathed in smiles as he cupped his hands in congratulations:
"Congratulations, General! You've finally caught our lord's eye this time!
As long as we proceed steadily and handle this assignment without a single flaw, our lord will surely see the General's capabilities with his own eyes—
When that time comes, no matter how formidable Ice Peng is, he'll have to fall behind you;
You will be Kunpeng's undisputed foremost war general!"
The surrounding officers and soldiers all chimed in, their morale soaring amid a chorus of cheers.
Black Snake General raised a brow and burst into hearty laughter.
"Well said! Our lord trusts and values me—this is a heaven-sent opportunity!
I'll ride this momentum and grind Ice Peng completely into the mud, leaving him no chance to ever rise again!
I absolutely cannot let him steal our lord's favor again. Even if I have to pay a price, I'll cut the weeds and root them out!"
In truth, though the Northern Darkness Deep Sea appeared calm on the surface, turbulent undercurrents had long been surging beneath.
As Kunpeng's number-one fierce general, Ice Peng had always enjoyed great favor.
Black Snake General, meanwhile, was no weaker in strength and no less seasoned, yet he had always been kept a step below.
Both were generals before the lord's tent, so why did Ice Peng sit high in the first position while he himself could only rank second?
Day after day, his grievances had deepened, and he had long been bitterly dissatisfied.
But his foundation had not yet been secure, and he lacked sufficient weight. If he acted rashly, his lord might instead suspect him of fighting for power