War Resumes, One Year Later, a Way Out

The earth boiled, the ground blazed with fire, thunderclouds raged, and Heavenly Fire descended upon the world.

Outside Yang City, there was a scene of hell.

The area around Yang City also experienced varying degrees of unrest.

The moment the Ten Suns in the Sky, high-level warships from Yang City were dispatched.

Since even those of the Fifth Grade would find it difficult to survive this disaster, the Military Realm prohibits those of the Fourth Grade and below from leaving the city to rescue people.

However, officials below the Fourth Grade did not do nothing. In addition to maintaining stability in Yang City, a large number of Fifth Grade and Sixth Rank Agricultural Official were in the outskirts of Yang City, trying to expand the safety zone of Yang City.

Zhao Xing also joined this group.

At this time, his luck level still fluctuated, but it only jumped between the Derivation Three and Evolution Five levels of the Qi Luck system, and never dropped below the Derivation Three again.

Outside the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, chaos erupted.

The entire Datong Prefecture was alarmed, because the location corresponding to the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven was Five Plate Mountain in Datong Prefecture.

At this moment, at the encampment outside the Heavenly Gate in Five Plate Mountain, the people on the warships were all shocked.

The lake at the entrance suddenly boiled over and shrank tenfold in an instant.

The surrounding earth cracked open, and a scorching heat shot up from the lake.

It even affected the celestial phenomena at Five Plate Mountain in Datong Prefecture.

However, the unusual celestial phenomena were quickly suppressed.

Meanwhile, news of the Ten Suns in the Sky spread rapidly.

"What? Is there a mistake? Ten Suns in the Sky inside? Wasn't it said that Ten Suns in the Sky again? The Grotto-Heaven has been upgraded!"

"It's absolutely true. The Military Realm has already issued a warning: no Fifth Grade is allowed to leave Yang City! Because there's a very high chance of death! Even the protective barriers on warships below the Seventh Order can't withstand ten days of scorching heat!"

"Damn it, I just bought this spot!"

"Quickly, cancel your spot!"

"Oh no, my son just went in..."

"Waaah, Father, Brother..."

Some were shocked and cried, while others felt lingering fear and relief.

"Damn, thank goodness I didn't get a spot. I'm really grateful that the prefect refused to pull strings for me..."

"I just spent five million to buy a spot, and haven't even had a chance to get in yet... Oh well, money can save the day..."

"Just a quarter of an hour later, and I would have been in! Thank goodness!"

"..."

On August 15th, Liu Tianning returned to Yang City, Zhao Xing breathed a sigh of relief.

On August 20, the rescue ships returned one after another.

Meanwhile, the Military Realm announced that there were no survivors outside Yang City.

The rescue operation has ended, but the maintenance of stability on the outskirts of Yang City continues.

Zhao Xing looked up at the sky from the border of Yang City. Although there were still Ten Suns in the Sky, the tenth Solar Yang was gradually dimming.

Zhao Xing closed his eyes and Entering the Dream.

"Compared to the previous life, the power of the Ten Suns in the Sky this time is much smaller."

"The rescue team in my previous life returned in just three days, there was nothing left to save. This time, however, it took seven days."

"In the previous life, it started at the end of August and lasted for Ten Suns in the Sky until mid-September. Now, it's not even September yet, and the tenth Solar Yang has already dimmed. I expect it will weaken to Nine Suns in the Sky by the beginning of September."

"Although the overall situation hasn't changed, the invisible influence is earth-shattering," Zhao Xing thought.

He was certain that this time, the number of people who died in the Ten Suns in the Sky was definitely not as many as in his previous life.

Because the power was weakened, the Military Realm had more time to provide assistance! Furthermore, Liu Tianning issued an early warning, which was a very quick response.

This was enough for most of the people near Yang City to evacuate.

Secondly, there's the issue of time.

The time difference between the Ten Suns in the Sky that occurred on August 13th and the Ten Suns in the Sky that occurred at the end of the month, which was more than ten days, meant that not as many people actually entered the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.

"Finally, the issue of authority and responsibility has changed," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"The actions of the Profound Heaven Sect in the past may have gone undetected and been classified as a natural disaster!"

"Although some officials will still be punished, natural disasters are considered force majeure, and the officials of Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven reacted quickly, so the impact is not significant."

"But now, it's a man-made disaster, so the nature of it is different, and I'm afraid many people will suffer."

"But Liu Tianning definitely made contributions. The Creation Disc of the Military Realm will definitely review the results. If Liu Tianning is removed as a factor, they will know that the result will be completely different."

"Old Liu returned on the 15th; his Ten Thousand Laws Tower Ship saved over 3,700 people!"

"Many people's fates have been changed, and this change must be attributed to Liu Tianning."

"Old Liu's success is my success; my goal has been achieved."

The benefit of his doing this lies with Liu Tianning.

Because his backer is Liu Tianning, a strong backer means he also becomes stronger.

Liu Tianning gains favor, his status as a disciple will also rise accordingly.

Especially for families with powerful high-ranking members, they can't sleep at night if they don't repay this kindness.

More importantly, Zhao Xing was not involved in this matter. When the Military Realm inquired about it afterward, the Southern Barbarians and sects were also concerned, focusing on Liu Tianning and Rahu King.

"The risk is small, but the Invisibility benefits are huge." Zhao Xing opened his eyes. "Now we just wait for the results."

The rescue operation ended on August 20th, that very evening.

Heaven Derivation King then received the results of the Fate Officials ' review.

"The natural disaster of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven is bound to occur, and the demons of the Profound Heaven Sect have prematurely triggered this event."

"If it weren't for Liu Tianning's warning, Rahu King would have disrupted the plans, and the casualties would have increased tenfold."

An elderly man with white hair reported to Heaven Derivation King.

"So, even without the Profound Heaven Demon, the Ten Suns in the Sky will still occur?" Heaven Derivation King asked.

"Judging from the calculations of the Creation Disc, yes," the white-haired elder nodded. "But how to characterize it depends on the decision of the Central Government and His Majesty."

"I understand." Heaven Derivation King accepted the document handed to him by the old man, his expression solemn.

If it's purely a natural disaster, the punishment won't be too severe, but if it involves human error, then the nature of the disaster changes.

Given his cousin's personality, a large number of officials are bound to suffer, and he himself will likely be held responsible as well.

While awaiting the official conclusion from the imperial court, Zhao Xing was not idle; he was observing how many people he knew had died.

First was Ji Ziyun. He didn't die, but his rank dropped from the Sub-Sixth Rank to the Seventh Grade.

This was already considered lucky, because he was a member of Liu Tianning's team, Ji Ziyun's location was easier to find when Old Liu was carrying out the rescue.

So he didn't hold out for long before boarding the Ten Thousand Laws Tower Ship and saving his life.

Of the three— Yi Rong, Nangong Ye, and Qi Yuan Army —only Nangong Ye survived.

Qi Yuan Army and Yi Rong, two Seventh Grade who shone brightly in the First Tier the Pacifying Barbarians War, did not survive.

Cai Jin and Feng Qi were Lu Bang's two disciples, but only Feng Qi survived; Cai Jin died.

Of the martial arts prodigies Zhao Xing knew during his training, Fu Ying, Zhang Jie, and Hu Bing were dead. Chen Fang survived.

Shi Yong, Zhuang Ziqing lived, while Cao Shuang, Jiang Tianming, Feng Qiu, and Li Feng died.

Helian Lie and Zhuo Li of the Blazing Sun Army died.

Wei Hong, son of Hu Tigron Army Wei Yuan, died.

Zhao Xing saw many familiar names on the casualty list.

Even Wen Shaoyang and Yu Ziqi!

"What a pity about Yu Ziqi, the sword cultivator..." Zhao Xing shook his head. He didn't even know that these two had managed to get a spot when the quota was later relaxed.

There were also some people who were unexpected by Zhao Xing.

"Lu Yuanwei is injured? He also entered the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven?"

"This chosen one was struck by Heavenly Fire and lost an arm."

"Lu Yuanwei was the main commander in the attack on the Qinggang Mining Area, and he was even injured..."

"Over at the Eternal Night Sea, Pei Yuanchang is alive, the thirteenth prince Ji Chen is alive, the Liang King Ji Dan is dead, Ji Ye is alive."

"How could Ji Dan die? With his strength and equipment, he should be able to survive..."

Zhao Xing was somewhat puzzled, but since many Fifth Grade had died at this time, Ji Dan was nothing to worry about.

Li Fuhan and Yun Yi, these two geniuses, are also alive. Yun Yi even sent a message to ask if Zhao Xing was injured.

Sword cultivators are all people of strong emotions, and Yun Yi did not have the authority to view the death list immediately, so he took the initiative to send a message.

Zhao Xing replied and then flew to a residential area.

Han Bing was fine, but Wang Ji was injured.

At this time, in Wang Ji's courtyard, Han Bing and Che Shihai also came to visit Wang Ji.

"How is Wang the Engineer?" Zhao Xing asked as he arrived at the door.

"This is not good," Han Bing said. "Wang Ji has fallen to the early stage of the Seventh Grade. Right now, he is just stabilizing his injuries. It's unknown when he will be able to fully recover."

"How could this happen?" Che Shihai. "Is it because we're lacking precious medicine? I still have some money..."

"It's not about the money," Zhao Xing shook his head. "He was injured and fell from his cultivation level; the protective aura of his official position was shattered."

"What do you mean?" Che Shihai was stunned; he didn't react for a moment.

"This involves the fate and status of the imperial court."

"If a Sixth Rank official is seriously injured, then the injury is not serious unless he has dropped in cultivation level."

"If one's cultivation level drops and one becomes Seventh Grade official, then the injuries would be quite severe. This is because official rank and cultivation level must be matched," Zhao Xing said.

"What if they don't match?" Che Shihai asked.

"The consequences will be severe," Zhao Xing said solemnly. "It means that the protection that the fortune system provides to officials has been broken."

"In a short period of time, officials cannot rise through their own merits. Moreover, most officials were promoted because of the dynasty's fortunes."

"At this point, the court faced two choices: one was to expend another portion or even more of the dynasty's fortune to help this official, who was actually only at the Seventh Grade Sixth Rank, to be restored to the Sixth Rank."

"Secondly, let this official retire early, because official positions don't wait for anyone, and political and military affairs can't wait until you're better before they're dealt with."

"Regardless of the type, it would be a great loss to the nation's fortune," Zhao Xing said.

"The protection of destiny has been broken, is it that serious?" Che Shihai's expression changed. "Then Wang the Engineer..."

"It depends on the situation," Zhao Xing said. "If it's within the Great Zhou's home territory, and the protection of fortune is broken, although it's lost in a short time, it's still within the Great Zhou's pool overall, and the dragon veins of the Nineteen Provinces will continue to gather fortune."

"Although the expenditure is large in the short term, in the long run, the actual cost is not significant. It's like if you lost a dollar, and I give you another dollar, you still have a dollar. The imperial court doesn't actually suffer much loss either; that dollar will eventually return to the national treasury."

"If you are injured and lose your cultivation level on a battlefield outside the territory, the one dollar that the imperial court spent on you will be lost forever."

"Moreover, destruction is easy but reconstruction is difficult. Being injured and demoted is different from being demoted and demoted. Recovery is even more difficult and may cost two dollars to cure you."

"The higher the level of attainment, the greater the loss!"

"If the enemy eventually occupies this battlefield, their pool of fortune will grow larger, because the longer they occupy it, the more they will gradually absorb the fortune between heaven and earth to grow stronger."

"There are also some extreme cases that could lead to the permanent loss of the region's fortune."

"That means their luck is inherently weak, and if they are injured and fall from their cultivation level, the recovery they need will be even greater."

"What about those who are inherently lucky?"

"Same here."

"The way of heaven and earth is too unfair," Che Shihai lamented.

"The natural order of the universe develops from order to disorder," Zhao Xing said. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Han Bing asked.

"Never mind, it's nothing." Zhao Xing thought for a moment and decided to stop talking about it. Knowing too much wouldn't do either of them any good.

Han Bing didn't press further, and instead changed the subject, following Zhao Xing's lead. "This time, the imperial court will lose a great deal of fortune."

"With such a massive natural disaster, I wonder how many people will be dealt with."

Han Bing still didn't know about the Profound Heaven Sect's demonic figures and thought it was the Ten Suns in the Sky Calamity.

Even so, officials still need to step in and take the blame in order to quell the anger of powerful Noble Families and nobles.

On August 27, the official document was released.

It mentions both natural disasters and man-made calamities.

The punishment was extremely severe.

The night before, Zhao Xing had already learned the news; it was Liu Tianning who mentioned it when he went to the Ten Thousand Laws Palace.

"Ling De King will be dismissed from his post, demoted from the Third Grade to the lower Fourth Grade, his merit rank will be reduced by five ranks, and his Nobility Title will be stripped to Marquis."

"Heaven Derivation King resigned from his position as Grand Inspector of the Military Realm, no longer exercising the power of battlefield supervision. His position as Second Rank Fate Officials was also abolished, retaining only the position of Fengtian Internal Secretary. Forty-nine Fate Officials were demoted and sent to their hometowns to retire."

"Rahu King demoted him two ranks and fined him 100,000 shields."

Zhao Xing was taken aback. "Why is Ling De King being punished so severely?"

Liu Tianning said, "In the tenth year of the Jingxin Calendar, Ling De King was bestowed the Grand Inspector of the Ten Suns Military Realm and concurrently Lord of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven by His Majesty."

Fearing Zhao Xing might not understand, Liu Tianning added, "In other words, the nominal person in charge of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven is Ling De King. Among the three kings, he is the chief official. Rahu King and Heaven Derivation King were actually just specially dispatched to assist him in managing the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven."

Zhao Xing was speechless. It sounded like Emperor Jing's arrangement was meant to make Ling De King a scapegoat.

Upon closer reflection, it does seem to make some sense.

Emperor Jing's dispatch of three princes to oversee the matter was bound to offend some people. Whether it was the outbreak of the Pacifying Barbarians War when powerful Noble Families wanted to send their own people in, or the recent outbreak of the Grotto Heaven Spiritual Wonder when many people wanted to obtain a spot.

All three kings faced immense pressure.

Rahu King and Heaven Derivation King are both truly capable, and Emperor Jing needs them to get things done.

If any problems arise, it would be natural for a weak prince like Ling De King to take the blame.

Zhao Xing inquired about Ling De King's tenure from Old Liu and discovered that this wasn't the first time the guy had taken the blame.

During the Renovation Era Calendar, Ling De King also served as the prefect of four places: Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture, Datong Prefecture, Dayuan Prefecture, and Anping Prefecture.

Two hundred years into the Renovation Era Calendar, the war with the Southern Barbarians was a back-and-forth affair, with small groups of Southern Barbarians occasionally crossing the river to cause trouble.

Ling De King then took the blame, pushing all responsibility onto him.

Over two hundred years, he was promoted and demoted four times. What's even more interesting is that he was still granted the title of Prince even though he never participated in any real battles.

"No wonder he was given the title of Lingde. His spirit of selflessly taking the blame for others is truly virtuous."

Including this time, this is the fifth time that Ling De King has been stripped of his Official Rank.

Ling De King was originally only a barely Third Grade, but now he has been demoted to the Fourth Grade.

However, this time Emperor Jing seems to be serious, because this time even the Nobility Title Ling De King has been stripped!

This has never happened before, and we don't know if he can ever make a comeback.

As for Heaven Derivation King, although the punishment was severe, it did not fundamentally change his nature.

Rahu King only imposed economic penalties.

The arrangements left by the Profound Heaven Sect in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, as well as the prediction of natural disasters, were all matters for the Fate Officials and the Agricultural Supervisorate. The actual scope of Rahu King's responsibility was only to investigate and punish illegal acts by the army.

Therefore, even if this natural disaster was caused by human error, it cannot be blamed on Rahu King. In the calculations of the Creation Disc, Rahu King still deserves credit!

However, at this time the resentment was too great, so Emperor Jing naturally could not return the merits to Rahu King. If he wanted to calculate them, he would have to wait a year or two and find another reason to do so.

All three kings were punished, and many of their subordinates were also punished. The Grand Director of the Yang City Ministry of Agriculture was completely replaced!

Fan Zhaoli, the director of the Earthly Advantage Institute, Mei Zhiru, the director of the Celestial Timing Academy, have both been suspended from their posts and will likely be transferred away from the Grotto-Heaven.

It might not be a demotion, but the Fourth Grade within the Grotto-Heaven is completely different from the Fourth Grade outside. Even a lateral transfer is equivalent to a demotion.

Although many were punished, a small number of people were recognized for their merits and were rewarded.

Liu Tianning said, "It is expected that Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven will be restored to its original state by next summer. I should be promoted to the Fourth Grade Official Rank at that time. As for the specific position, it has not yet been determined."

Along with Liu Tianning, those who also received commendations included Gong Tiansi, the master of the Myriad Forms Underground Palace, Huang Yi, Fourth Grade Fourth Grade officer, Zhang Song, Li Yuanzhen, and others.

These people all went to save lives when the disaster struck.

Of course, no one saved as many as Liu Tianning!

In addition, Liu Tianning also had the merit of providing early warnings. With this wave of substantial promotion and advancement rewards, plus the favors from many Noble Families and powerful figures, Liu Tianning was undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary.

Back at the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard, Zhao Xing closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Liu Tianning reaped the most benefits. His power has grown, and as the second tier of his power, I also benefited. This risk was not in vain, and all those days of fear and anxiety were worthwhile."

"In addition, the fact that Old Chen's life was saved proves that the future can be changed to some extent, which puts my mind at ease."

"With the lessons of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, we will have more references to make in the future."

Waking up, Zhao Xing acted as usual, following the crowd to carry out some stability maintenance and repair work.

On August 27, the official document was released.

All the natural disasters and man-made calamities that Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, down to the smallest detail, were made public.

News of Ling De King's stripping of his title and dismissal from office, and the subsequent punishment of the officials in charge, spread quickly.

The officialdom of Datong Prefecture, Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture, Anping Prefecture, and Dayuan Prefecture was shrouded in gloom, while the other four major Grotto-Heaven also began a new round of detailed exploration.

Soon, not only the Great Zhou, but also the Southern Barbarians knew about it.

Unlike the gloomy atmosphere in the officialdom of the Great Zhou, the Four Great Royal Courts of the Southern Barbarians were celebrating their newfound positions.

The Holy Light Royal Court, in particular, felt a sense of relief.

Because the Profound Heaven Sect is the state religion of the Holy Light Royal Court!

But Blood Spirit Venerable, as the one in charge, couldn't be happy at all.

"The number of deaths was too small, which did not achieve the desired effect. Although it had a deterrent effect, the Great Zhou discovered that it was deliberate."

"It will probably be even more difficult to carry out the task of overturning the Grotto-Heaven in the future."

The matter was handled poorly, and the cost was much higher than expected.

Blood Spirit Venerable has accomplished this task, but not in a very good way.

Even with our allies, things are somewhat difficult to explain.

The original plan was to launch the attack at the end of August or the beginning of September. At that time, he would have notified the Liang King in advance to withdraw some of his men.

But plans can't keep up with changes, and there's simply no time to give notice, so it can only be an indiscriminate attack.

He wanted to make Liang King an ally, but one of Liang King's sons died in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, indirectly at his hands.

Although Liang King might not care, it's still a bit strange to use an ally's son as a sacrifice at the start.

Furthermore, if the Great Zhou were unaware of this, having him inform them would have a greater impact on Liang King and would further demonstrate the strength of the Profound Heaven Sect.

While it still has a deterrent effect, it's not as effective as initially anticipated.

"Damn Liu Tianning, how did he find out?!"

"Could the ant we predicted earlier be him?"

Blood Spirit Venerable was pale as he retrieved a piece of intelligence, which concerned Liu Tianning.

After a careful examination, Blood Spirit Venerable immediately understood. Liu Tianning's birth background, personal strength, backing forces, and abundant fortune all matched the identity of this game-changer.

Since it was the will of Heaven, and the Blood Spirit Venerable believed in the arrangement of the Primordial Heavenly Dao, he did not think much of it.

But when his gaze fell on the information related to Liu Tianning's personal disciples, he suddenly frowned.

"Um?"

"This Zhao Xing..."

Blood Spirit Venerable suddenly remembered the situation when one of his divided souls was acting in Nanyang County.

"After not seeing him for several years, he, a mere clerk, has risen to the Sixth Rank and become Liu Tianning's personal disciple?"

Blood Spirit Venerable immediately began to calculate with his fingers.

But before he could make a gesture, he began coughing up blood.

"Forget it, a mere Sixth Rank has nothing to do with the overall situation." Blood Spirit Venerable had only acted on a whim, but now that he was injured and saw the high cost of the calculation, he abandoned the idea and quickly forgot about Zhao Xing.

He walked down to the temple and into the underground Earth Palace deep underground.

Inside the palace, light shimmered, just like in the Earth Palace of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.

However, a statue has appeared in the blood pool here.

"Liang King," the Blood Spirit Venerable said, gazing at the statue, "Are Liang King satisfied with the methods of my Profound Heaven Sect?"

The Blood Spirit Venerable's words had a double meaning; he was not only referring to creating a statue of a deity for the Liang King, but also to the Ten Suns in the Sky.

Prince Liang Ji Mingxian, came to life from the statue. At this moment, his aura changed slightly, becoming more subtle and tyrannical.

"Satisfied? Blood Spirit Child, my son, was killed by you in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven!" Ji Mingxian shouted.

"Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. Would Your Highness care about a mere son?" Blood Spirit Child smiled. "After this incident, the court's Fate Officials will inevitably be replaced. Those Noble Families families who have been drained of their blood but have gained nothing will surely hate Ji Mingjing."

"Your Highness can also take this opportunity to win over the Noble Families families and nobles. You can also take this opportunity to fill the many vacant positions now."

"The Four Great Royal Courts and various tribes in the Southern Wilderness will also take the opportunity to spread rumors about Ji Mingjing's cruelty and tyranny."

"Heaven will not tolerate Ji Mingjing. The land of the Nineteen Provinces will surely welcome a new master. Why can't that person be Your Highness?!"

"With your paltry tricks, you dare to try and shake the Great Zhou?" Ji Mingxian sneered. "For me to cooperate with you in rebellion is tantamount to courting death!"

Seeing this, Blood Spirit Venerable knew that Ji Mingxian had not made up his mind, and the effect this time was ultimately less than ideal.

But Ji Mingxian's resolve was clearly shaken.

During their last meeting, he told Blood Spirit Child not to interfere in his family affairs.

This time when they met again, he began to consider the possibility of rebellion, although the probability was very low, but he did consider it!

Upon realizing this, the Blood Spirit Venerable immediately said, "Your Highness is ordained by Heaven; you are the prophesied Son of Son of Heaven! If you do not believe me, we can make a bet!"

Ji Mingxian stared at the Blood Spirit Venerable, waiting for him to continue.

"In this Pacifying Barbarians War, Ji Mingjing will surely suffer a crushing defeat! And it won't drag on for long. If our sect's prophecy proves inaccurate, we will bestow upon Your Highness three Blood Soul Pill free of charge. Even if Your Highness leaves the Great Zhou, you will be able to live a carefree life!"

"If our sect's prophecy is accurate, the Great Zhou will be defeated, and its fortunes will inevitably decline. Your Highness can seize this opportunity to rise again. At that time, not only our Profound Heaven Sect, but also the Southern Barbarians will do their utmost to help Your Highness seize the Nineteen Provinces!"

Yang City, the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.

"The luck level is fluctuating between Derivation Four and Evolution Five, becoming increasingly stable," Zhao Xing said, looking at the panel. "The crisis has passed."

"However, the underlying crisis remains."

It is now mid-September of the 18th year of the Jingxin Calendar.

Emperor Jing carried out large-scale military and political relocations in the Five Great Grotto Heavens, the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture, the Datong Prefecture, the Dayuan Prefecture, and the Anping Prefecture.

The Liang King faction has once again taken center stage in the campaign to quell the barbarians. According to Liu Tianning, many Fate Officials have connections with the Liang King.

Zhao Xing closed his eyes and Entering the Dream.

"Yesterday, Emperor Jing officially decided to continue training troops. This time, it will be more difficult to gain military merits. First, the resistance of the Southern Barbarians has increased, and second, the Liang King's faction has become too powerful."

"In two years, just like Renovation Era Calendar, Liang King will once again take to the stage of the Pacifying Barbarians War to Pacify the Barbarians and seize all military and political power in the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture."

"It seems that Emperor Jing distrusts the enfeoffed lords and favors his own brothers, but in reality, he's setting a trap to see if his little brother is truly going to rebel..."

"Regardless of whether the Liang King of Liang rebels in this life or not, I must get out of here before the 20th year of the Jingxin Calendar," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Whether the Liang King rebelled or not had no impact on the outcome of the Pacifying Barbarians War.

Liang King first witnessed the defeat of the Great Zhou before he rebelled.

Even disregarding all unstable factors, Emperor Jing could not possibly conquer the Southern Wilderness.

Because the timing was wrong.

"The Ten Calamities of Heavenly Witch, Sever Heaven and Earth, and the opening of the Sacred Mountain in the Southern Wilderness are key factors in the 'Tide of Vitality Tide ' and 'Spiritual Energy Revival Version. It's simply impossible to conquer it during this period..."

Zhao Xing reinforced the seal on the memory palace once more, then exited the Entering the Dream.

As his status and fortune gradually increase, he must seal away his memories of his past life even more tightly.

An ant's dream is hard to detect, but if this ant were to transform into a dragon, even its dream might be sensed by some powerful beings.

"I'd better behave myself from now on," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "I'll try to gain some more credit and then get away with it."

At the end of September in the eighteenth year of the Jingxin calendar, after King Lingde was dismissed, King Tianyan was stripped of many of his posts. He was succeeded by "King Xin" Liu Yong and King Anning Ji Anming, while King Luohou remained in his position.

Liu Tianning temporarily served as the Fourth Grade "Ten Suns Inspector" and concurrently as the Transportation Envoy of the two prefectures (Fourth Grade).

The Ten Suns Inspector is several ranks higher than the previous Fifth Grade Inspector. Previously, his authority was relatively small and unpredictable; he only performed tasks assigned by Rahu King.

Now his authority has expanded to the Southern Theater Command. All the troops within the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven are under Liu Tianning's control. It's no longer just about economic corruption; he can also handle things like overstepping his authority, dereliction of duty, and calculating merits. His scope of authority is fixed and has expanded.

In addition, he also served as the Transportation Envoy of two prefectures, namely the transport of military supplies between Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture and Datong Prefecture.

This is definitely a lucrative position, with great power in one's hands!

How heavy is it?

Zhao Xing had once met Lu Tingzhi, Sixth Rank Transportation Envoy, at Fire Dragon Pass. Lu Tingzhi was the backer of his patron in his previous life, and a notorious corrupt official.

At that time in Fire Dragon Pass, Lu Tingzhi was Sub-Sixth Rank, while Liao Rulong was Sixth Rank official.

Upon seeing Lu Tingzhi, he actually addressed himself as a lower-ranking official!

Liu Tianning is currently a Fourth Grade, and is the superior of Lu Tingzhi's superior.

Although it's temporary, anyone who's been an official knows that Fourth Grade will become a full Fourth Grade official once they're promoted! That's how the process works!

Even a Fourth Grade military officer like Yang An now has to respectfully address Liu Tianning as "Lord Liu."

If others slightly stagger their delivery times and prioritize supplying other armies, it could determine the life or death of an army!

The day before Liu Tianning took office, Princess Youruo and Ji Ziyun left.

As for Murong Xue, she had already left with her mother Murong Qing.

Before parting, Ji Ziyun ran to the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard to say goodbye to Zhao Xing.

"Senior Brother, I'm leaving now," Ji Ziyun said. "Thank you for taking care of Senior Brother these past few days. I will remember it forever."

Zhao Xing looked at Ji Ziyun calmly. "No need to Guest Qi, you earned this yourself."

It was indeed Ji Ziyun who fought for it. In essence, Zhao Xing gave Murong Xue and Ji Ziyun the same opportunities.

Old Master Zhao fed the two of them. Ji Ziyun jumped up to grab the food, while Murong Xue was shy and could only pick up some leftovers from the side.

Ji Ziyun felt a sense of gratitude in her eyes. In just a few months, she felt as if she had lived through decades, especially after the Ten Suns in the Sky, this feeling was even stronger.

She was very grateful to Zhao Xing, not only because Zhao Xing had helped her find many talented people, but also because she felt that Zhao Xing was a kindred spirit.

Zhao Xing admired her on the same wavelength, and she, in turn, developed feelings of admiration for Zhao Xing.

"Senior Brother, take care," Ji Ziyun said. "I will wait for Senior Brother good news at the Azure Water Sect."

Goodbye, Junior Sister.

In early October, the Divine Might Army assigned combat missions.

Zhao Xing rushed to the Pacifying Barbarians Battlefield and arrived at the Soul Offering Pass once again.

This time, he was Sub-Sixth Rank, and Yang An asked him if he wanted to command an army alone.

But Zhao Xing refused. He chose to be the logistics officer for Long Xiao, the main general. They took over Wen Shaoyang's troops, and Chen Shijie became Liao Rulong's deputy general.

Compared to last year, everything seems unchanged, yet everything seems different.

The Long Xiao tribe and Liao Rulong's tribe together number 120,000, but Xia Jing's forces have surged to 100,000!

This is the Invisibility benefit brought by the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.

Jiang Ming, the Sea Pacifying Army, has become a complete vassal of these two armies.

Because of Zhao Xing's presence, many armies were willing to cooperate with Soul Offering Pass, including the original Illusory Nether Army, Primal Glory Army, Red Cloud Army, and Tigron Army... However, Zhao Xing did not agree.

Firstly, Old Liu had just taken office and his position was not yet secure. The Liang King faction was still keeping an eye on Liu Tianning, with some wanting to suppress Liu Tianning and others wanting to win him over, making the situation complex.

As his disciple, we must not use Old Liu's name for personal gain at this time, nor should we be taken advantage of.

Secondly, after the incident involving Zhao Xing's Ten Suns in the Sky, he became much more obedient and no longer wanted to stand out from the crowd.

If you're pushed into a position you shouldn't be in, it'll be hard to get down later!

At the end of October, the three armed forces, having completed their reorganization, began their advance into the Qinggang Mining Area, attacking and capturing strongholds.

At the end of November, sixteen cities, including Spirit Turtle City and Turtle Marsh City, were captured.

The Pacifying Barbarians Merit List has been reopened, Zhao Xing has entered the Sixth Rank rank.

After November, Zhao Xing entered the top 10,000.

In early December, the three armies continued their advance, while Zhao Xing was responsible for supplying more than 200,000 people in the rear supply city and maintaining stability along the supply lines.

Because of the truce that lasted for more than half a year, the Fire Demon Tribe's defenses were able to be rebuilt.

The old rival, the Nether Soul Lord, has been dismissed after fleeing from Spirit Turtle City. The new Lord of Fire Feather is a member of the royal family of the Golden Feather Royal Court.

Xia Jing's troops, Long Xiao's troops, and Liao Rulong's troops advanced to Fire Dance Pass, where they encountered strong resistance.

Both sides began to suffer large-scale casualties, resulting in a stalemate.

December 5th.

Lord Fire Feather personally led 10,000 men to launch a surprise attack on Zhao Xing's supply city, hoping to decide the outcome in one fell swoop.

On December 6th, Zhao Xing and Long Xiao, who were well-prepared, launched a surprise attack.

Fire Feather was killed by Zhao Xing, and the remaining leaders fled in disarray.

Xia Jing and Liao Rulong's troops took advantage of the situation and captured Fire Dance Pass.

Zhao Xing, who originally wanted to quietly farm and accumulate military merits, tearfully accepted 200,000 merits, thus entering the top 5,000.

In December, the three armed forces took a break.

Because the Qinggang Mining Area is a thousand miles ahead of them.

There are over a million troops stationed ahead; this is not a piece of meat that their three armies can easily take on.

We need to wait for Lu Yuanwei on the western front, Tigron Army, Black Armor Army, Blazing Sun Army on the northern front to converge and launch a three-pronged attack.

However, history changed at this point.

Despite being wounded, Lu Yuanwei was unable to break through Yang Qilin's second line of defense for a long time.

On the contrary, the Tigron Army, the Black Armor Army, and the Blazing Sun Army on the northern front are advancing with unstoppable momentum, and have already formed an army of 300,000, which has joined forces with Xia Jing, Liao Rulong, Long Xiao's troops at Fire Dance Pass.

"The power of the Ten Suns in the Sky has weakened and the timing has been brought forward, allowing the nine armies that were originally severely damaged by the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven to retain many mid-level key generals. Now, the northern army is advancing even faster."

"Lu Yuanwei has actually slowed down considerably," Zhao Xing pondered.

The Creation Disc has deduced and reconstructed the original course of events, so he can now discuss it publicly without any problem, since it's no longer a secret.

Of course, the Ten Suns in the Sky event also greatly encouraged the various tribes of the Southern Barbarians, and in fact, it inspired Southern Barbarians even more.

After all, they had been suffering defeats all along, and now that the Great Zhou's hometown had been bombed, how could they not feel a surge of morale?

"Now it seems that even if Lu Yuanwei breaks through Yang Qilin's defenses, it may not necessarily have a very good effect."

Zhao Xing looked at the list of casualties from the past few months.

Not only the Divine Might Army, but the entire Pacifying Barbarians Battlefield suffered more casualties than the First Tier.

But Emperor Jing was very determined, and now the total number of people on the battlefield has not decreased, but has increased.

"With casualties, the rate at which combat merits are accumulated slows down because they are deducted."

Even though Zhao Xing was in charge of logistics, he could clearly feel that the resistance of the Southern Barbarians had greatly increased, and his supply lines were being harassed relentlessly.

Although he had earned many merits, there were always times when they were deducted. Earning merits was difficult, but deductions could be numerous.

In February of the nineteenth year of the Jingxin Calendar, the last piece of territory of the Fire Demon Tribe Clan had still not been captured.

The offensives on both the eastern and western fronts have begun, and they are no longer waiting for Lu Yuanwei.

The intensity of the war increased dramatically.

Yang Qilin, a renowned general of the Fire Demon Tribe, with 80,000 men, held off Lu Yuanwei's 500,000 troops. This forced both the eastern and western fronts to confront even larger forces.

The Divine Might Army and the Black Armor Army began to suffer heavy casualties.

Zhao Xing's supply city receives wounded soldiers every day, increasing the demand for medicinal herbs.

Some injuries are beyond healing because the player's cultivation level has dropped, and the number of casualties in battle is gradually increasing.

In June of the nineteenth year of the Jingxin Calendar, even Xia Jing and Long Xiao were injured multiple times.

The combat casualties of the three armed forces reached more than 27,000!

The large-scale battle surrounding the Fire Demon Tribe Clan's Qinggang Mining Area turned into a bitter struggle.

"Boss, a group of wounded soldiers has arrived!" Che Shihai rushed in. "This time there are 3,546 people."

"Send them to the wounded soldiers' camp for treatment." Zhao Xing looked at Han Bing beside him, "Are medicinal herbs in short supply?"

"The supply of medicinal herbs can still hold up," Han Bing said, "But the military doctors can't."

"Didn't we send a group of military doctors here a month ago?" Zhao Xing asked. "Where's Yuan Yang? Tell him to come and give us an answer!"

As the fighting progressed, Old Master Zhao's temper grew increasingly volatile, and in this tense battlefield atmosphere, everyone's nerves were on edge.

"Sir, I'm afraid Yuan Yang won't be able to reply," Han Bing said with a wry smile. "He hasn't slept for fifteen days. Last night, he collapsed in the wounded soldiers' camp and is receiving treatment on his own."

"The batch of doctors transferred in a month ago lacked battlefield experience. The medical battalion is already operating at full capacity. You can't be too demanding of them."

"Phew~" Zhao Xing let out a long breath and rubbed his temples.

Han Bing said, "Actually, we have already done very well. The lord has set too high a standard for himself. The number of wounded soldiers in the Black Armor Army and the Tigron Army is much lower than ours."

A low number of wounded soldiers means that many soldiers could not be saved, hence the low number of wounded soldiers.

A truly outstanding logistics and medical battalion has a very high wounded soldier count.

"Take me to the wounded soldiers' camp." Zhao Xing was planning to visit the wounded soldiers' camp.

However, at that moment, his Earth Mirror trembled.

Xia Jing's excited voice came from inside.

"Great news! A major breakthrough has been achieved on the western front!"

"Lu Yuanwei has slain Yang Qilin and has advanced rapidly. Yan Da divided his forces to the west. Brother Zhao, we are about to win!"

Zhao Xing quickly took out the battle report from the Military Realm to read.

Sure enough, there was a message on the front that Lu Yuanwei had broken through on the western front, killed Yang Qilin, and killed more than 50,000 enemy soldiers.

"After all, Lu Yuanwei broke through the western front. In my previous life, he was the number one commander in the Middle-grade Battlefield. His reputation wasn't just for show." Zhao Xing looked at the message and finally felt relieved.

At the end of June in the nineteenth year of the Jingxin Calendar, the Divine Might Army Black Armor Army, the Tigron Army Blazing Sun Army Divine Thunder Army, Primal Glory Army Divine Illusory Nether Army, the Red Cloud Army, the Black Dragon Army... a total of 143 armies, the three major legions, completed the encirclement of the Azuresteel War Zone from the east, north, and west.

In August of the same year, Prince Yan Da, the commander of the western front, was killed, and the 800,000-strong army was wiped out, earning Lu Yuanwei the title of the number one Middle-grade Battlefield commander.

The corps on the eastern and northern fronts also made significant progress.

In early September, the Golden Feather Royal Court ordered the abandonment of the Azuresteel War Zone.

In October, the last piece of territory in the Fire Demon Tribe Clan's domain, a coveted prize, was seized by the Great Zhou.

At this point, the entire territory of the Fire Demon Tribe had fallen.

On the Lan River, the waves surged hundreds of feet high, and above that, a tangible blue Astral Wind.

Zhao Xing stood on a reef, looking at the obstacle that stretched across the horizon, speechless.

"Damn it, that's the downside of conquering the Southern Wilderness." Xia Jing cursed as he rode on a Flying Dragon, "One obstacle after another, we crossed a Earthly Advantage Institute mountain and then came to a great river."

"Once the Agricultural Official and the sorcerers have managed to govern this branch of the Lan River, and with the help of naval ships transporting goods there, we can resume our pursuit of the Golden Feather Royal Court in less than three months!"

"Brother Zhao, we are living in a great era, and it is truly a joyous occasion for us to achieve unparalleled feats!" Xia Jing said with high spirits.

"Brother Xia," Zhao Xing said suddenly, gazing at the horizon, "Have you ever considered ending this?"

Xia Jing glanced at Zhao Xing: "I hadn't thought of that. We just won a battle; we should be pressing our advantage!"

Seeing that Zhao Xing remained silent, Xia Jing asked with concern, "Brother Zhao, have you been looking tired lately?"

"You've been working non-stop for a long time, you should take some rest."

"Don't worry, it will be three more months before we cross the river. You should rest well and leave military affairs to your deputy."

"Hmm." Zhao Xing composed himself and returned to the military camp.

[Pacifying Barbarians Merit List]

Name: Zhao Xing

[Army: Divine Might Army]

[Position: Army Protector Commandant (Upper Sub-Sixth Rank)]

[Battle Achievements: 3,702,154]

[Rank: 1521]

Looking at the rankings of the campaign achievements and the more than three million battle merits, Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

Even though he participated in the war in a completely methodical manner, his battle merits still rose from zero to more than 3.7 million after the Azuresteel War Zone was completed!

Evolution Five's luck were applied to the battlefield, the enemy would practically be delivered right to his death.

This military achievement won't earn him the title of Martial Marquis, but it's a sure Fifth Grade rank.

The ranks of the low-ranking and the ranks of the meritorious can also be raised to a higher level.

"I've been trying to keep a low profile, but my abilities are just too strong, and my luck is too high. I was even staying in the supply city, and Lord Fire Feather still sent me here to be killed. It's unbelievable..."

"And then there was the one in March. I didn't even give any instructions on what medicinal herbs to plant, but my men found seven rare sixth-tier medicinal herbs in Spirit Turtle City, and also found a treasure land suitable for cultivation."

"As luck would have it, the Military Realm has released advancement quests for these seven medicinal herbs."

"I did nothing, yet I gained 500,000 battle merits while lying down."

"If the beginning was just good luck, then what happened later was a bit strange," Zhao Xing pondered.

"It's as if someone is deliberately praising me and tailoring tasks specifically for me."

"I just happen to have something, and that's exactly what happened to be the advanced battle merit mission."

"As soon as I encounter danger, the intelligence in the Military Realm is updated immediately, and spies even come to report to me."

Zhao Xing sensed that this battle was unusual in every way.

The overall progress of the battle was actually slow, and the fighting was quite tortuous.

His performance as the logistics Agricultural Official was mediocre, yet he was somehow elevated to over a thousandth place by some unseen force.

Zhao Xing questioned Liu Tianning, who stated that he had absolutely not done such a thing and had not informed anyone beforehand.

"So who exactly is trying to kill me with praise?"

The answer is actually easy to guess: the Liang King's faction.

Only the King of Liang King has such great power to influence the customization of such advanced tasks.

"Whether it's the Liang King or not, my situation is quite dangerous now," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"I will do nothing else, and by the twentieth year of the Jingxin Calendar, I will be promoted to the Fifth Grade."

"This is not a good thing," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Firstly, he was not yet ready to make a breakthrough. If he were granted a title by the imperial court, it would be equivalent to upgrading by borrowing the power of the dynasty's fortune, which was not something he had cultivated himself, and there would always be hidden dangers.

Secondly, once you reach the Fifth Grade, there's absolutely no way you can leave the battlefield later on. The Sixth Rank is still manageable, since they're just cannon fodder in the Middle-grade Battlefield.

How can I get out of this situation?

I still need to find Liang King to boost my reputation.

"Whether you're trying to flatter me or not, I'll assume you are. Since you're going to rebel anyway, you might as well do me a favor," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

He wanted to escape, so he targeted Liang King; this was a plan he had already devised.

Brushing Liang King is the fastest and most reliable method.

Nothing else is allowed. Embezzlement? Murder? Those would leave a stain on his record. Old Liu wouldn't allow him to do that either.

But if it's about pointing your finger at Liang King and giving him a good scolding, then it doesn't matter.

Zhao Xing's plan can be summarized in eight words: denounce the Liang King and sell his integrity to gain fame.

If you anger the Liang King and he tries to suppress you, you can then easily escape.

Even if he is temporarily dismissed from his post or demoted by one rank, it doesn't matter, his military achievements are already enough to diminish his reputation.

As long as the title is not stripped or the rank is not lowered, there will be no problem. Only Emperor Jing has the right to strip titles and lower ranks.

Even a mere viscount title required Emperor Jing's approval before the central government could grant or decree a title, and the Nobility Title was to be revoked or bestowed. Power had to remain in Emperor Jing's hands.

Actually, he had other ways to get out of this situation, such as talking to Liu Tianning and saying that he wanted to leave.

They can indeed retreat, but isn't that just desertion?

If the later attacks on the barbarians fail, people will make a big deal out of it: Look, Liu Tianning arranged for his disciples to withdraw first, he enjoyed the benefits, and didn't suffer any punishment.

This would become a stain.

But if the impeachment of the Liang King leads to his removal from the Pacifying Barbarians Battlefield, then there's nothing more to say.

"I am now Commandery Councillor, so I cannot write directly to the emperor, but I can write down to the prefectural level."

Writing letters to prefectural-level government agencies to offer suggestions and participating in policy recommendations for the county government was within the authority of the Commandery Councillor, equivalent to a censor of the Qingliu faction.

Of course, this honorary title was only equivalent to that of a regular Official Rank, because there was also the Official Rank that could only be held by those Ritual Cultivator.

"If you're going to insult someone, you need to be logical, but you can't be completely logical." Zhao Xing picked up his brush and unfolded the Xuan paper.

"I cannot directly accuse the Liang King of any crime, nor can I actually gather any evidence. Besides, I don't have any. If it really becomes an accusation, what crime would I be accusing the Prince of Liang of? If the accusation fails, I will have to bear some kind of crime."

The appropriate degree of control must be maintained.

"Learn from the old story of Yang An, and first oppose his attempt to seize control of military power."

After pondering for a moment, Zhao Xing picked up his pen and wrote the first line of the draft:

Your humble servant Zhao Xing bows respectfully. Lord Wang, please allow me to report:

Prince Liang Ji Mingxian, despite his noble status as a prince, sought to seize control of military affairs and wield immense legal and political power, making his influence so vast that it was intolerable to his subjects...

His Vassal and protégés mostly held important positions such as inspector and Transportation Envoy...

The Liang King's rule was lax. Before him, there was Shao Wanjie of Cloud City, the former commander of the Black Dragon Army, who was corrupt, committed murder and evil deeds, and colluded with barbarians to betray the country. Prefect Liu Junliang protected him and sought personal gain, which caused the drivers of Cloud City to be paralyzed for more than a hundred years.

Later, Qian Shougang disregarded the law and ran rampant in the war zone, seriously wounding the city general and robbing friendly forces of supplies. How was he any different from the barbarians?

As the ancients said, "If the ruler has a certain preference, the people will surely follow suit; by observing how the ruler governs his subjects, one can understand how the ruler governs."

If the Liang King, political, and legal power, the vast territory would be plunged into misery, the people into despair, and the army into a state of utter despair...

I wrote a long article, and the last sentence is:

Your humble servant Zhao Xing bows and prostrates himself before Your Excellency, the Prince.

After writing it down, Zhao Xing made some revisions and then copied it onto an official document, affixing his Civil Official seal (the Commandery Councillor had a special seal).

He didn't just write one copy, he wrote multiple copies.

Then go to the Military Hall, find the Swift Travel Dai Zong, and light an incense stick.

"True Lord, urgent march order!"

Dai Zong opened his eyes. "Whom do you want me to vote for?"

"Lord of the Nine Heavens Responding Origin Prefecture, Wang Shiyong. Chief Censor, Zhang Qing. Grand Councilor, Tantai Ming..."

"Prefect of Anping Prefecture, Cui Zhe. Chief Censor, Ji Guanghe. Heaven-Serving Councillor, Xiao Wenshan..."

"Prefect of Datong Prefecture, Xie Zhengwen. Chief Censor, Zhao Wen."

"..."

Dai Zong felt something was wrong. Why were all of this kid's letter writers Civil Official?

Moreover, they were all Fourth Grade officials, and the Official Rank they held all had one thing in common: they all had the right to submit memorials to Emperor Jing.

"Alright, please put it into the incense burner." Dai Zong unconsciously used the word "please."

"Whoosh~" One document after another was tossed into the incense burner and then delivered to various government agencies.

After doing all this, Zhao Xing clapped his hands.

"What are you doing? Burning so many documents." Xia Jing, Long Xiao, Liao Rulong, and Pu Zhong walked into the Military Hall.

"It's nothing, I just plan to impeach the Liang King."

"Oh." Xia Jing nodded, then suddenly looked up sharply. "Who? Who are you saying will be impeached?"

"Liang King, Ji Mingxian," Zhao Xing said, "Was I not clear enough?"

"Brother, what are you doing?" Xia Jing was stunned. "Why are you impeaching Liang King for no reason?"

"Isn't he going to be the commander-in-chief of the pacification of the barbarians and concurrently the ruler of the four directions?" Zhao Xing asked. "It is said that an imperial edict will be issued in the twentieth year of the Jingxin Calendar."

"That rumor is true, but... what does it have to do with you?" Xia Jing said. "Are you just asking for trouble? Aren't you just creating problems for yourself?"

"Why did you act so foolishly? Have you forgotten what happened to Yang An?"

"Xia Jing, what are you saying!" Long Xiao protested, shoving him. "Who are you calling stupid?"

Liao Rulong also stared at Xia Jing with an unfriendly expression.

"I'm sorry, I misspoke." Xia Jing was also anxious. Wasn't Zhao Xing ruining his future?

If the Liang King doesn't take it to heart, that's fine. But if he really does, Zhao Xing's battle this year might have been for nothing!

He truly cares about his good brother.

"How can the King of Liang King, a mere subject, wield such great power?" Zhao Xing retorted sternly. "As Commandery Councillor and a soldier on the front lines, I must speak frankly and honestly; otherwise, how can we fight with peace of mind?!"

"..." Xia Jing felt that something was wrong with what was said, but she couldn't find the problem.

Zhao Xing's words were true in principle, but in reality, things were quite different in officialdom.

"Forget it, you've already voted," Xia Jing said. "I reckon nobody's going to listen to you anyway."

Who would dare to pay attention? Liang King is about to take the throne; only a fool would care about Zhao Xing's petition at this point.

"Well done!" Long Xiao chuckled. "Zhao Xing, how did you write that? I also have the title of Commandery Councillor now, but I don't know how to write it. Teach me, and I'll submit a memorial against him too."

"You're joining in too?" Xia Jing was taken aback. "Are we still going to fight?"

"If the Liang King were in power, what would be the point of fighting birds?" Long Xiao snorted. "I'm afraid his Black Dragon Army will stab me in the back."

Xia Jing pointed to himself, then to Zhao Xing: "My father is Xia Hou, and my master is Liu Tianning. Who would dare to stab me in the back?"

"I don't care about all that," Long Xiao said. "Anyway, Zhao Xing has already voted, so I have to lend a hand. Liao Rulong, aren't you a brother?"

"Haha, Long Xiao is right, if we're going to submit a memorial, let's submit it together!" Liao Rulong laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Military Advisor, prepare pen and ink!"

Long Xiao glanced at Xia Jing sideways, as if to say, "Are you a good brother?"

Xia Jing said helplessly, "Fine, I'll vote."

Zhao Xing said, "Don't force yourself."

Xia Jing pointed at Long Xiao and laughed, "Since Fatty Long has already said so, if I don't vote, we can't be brothers anymore. Here, how did you write it? I'll print it out for you, and you can just stamp it."

"What's all this commotion about?" Just then, Chen Shijie walked in. "I think I just heard you talking about Liang King, impeachment... What happened?"

Long Xiao chuckled, "Old Chen, you've come at the perfect time! We're going to impeach Liang King, hehe, I've been wanting to do that for a long time!"

Chen Shijie, more composed, asked, "Does the Marquis know about this? Does Lord Liu know? Does Xia Hou know?"

"I've already spoken to the teacher," Zhao Xing said calmly. "He neither objects nor supports it, nor does he ask me why."

"I haven't said anything yet," Xia Jing said, stroking his chin. "It's nothing serious, just something I heard about."

"It's better not to say," Chen Shijie said. There's still room for maneuver if they don't say anything; it's just the younger generation's nonsense.

But then Zhao Xing said seriously, "Don't think this is a joke."

"I am truly determined to impeach Liang King and get to the bottom of it."

"Xia Jing, if you still want to command an army, then don't surrender."

"Long Xiao, Old Chen, you should also consider the possibility of being dismissed or demoted."

Zhao Xing explained the pros and cons clearly.

If the fight continues, Xia Jing might not be in any danger. As for Old Chen, Long Xiao, and Zhao Xing, they hope they can follow him and retreat gracefully during this wave.

Even if we are dismissed from our posts and demoted by Liang King, it will only be temporary. Liang King Rebellion in the future, we will definitely be exonerated.

With the Liang King about to ascend the throne, this was the best window of opportunity to escape the battlefield against the Southern Barbarians.

If you want to leave again later, the cost will be even greater.

However, Zhao Xing also respected the fate of others, and if they really wanted to stay on the battlefield to make contributions, he would not force them.

Even without himself, Long Xiao became the Divine Firmament Marquis Long Xiao.

Old Chen didn't die in Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven either, and Xia Jing was able to inherit his father's Nobility Title.

Therefore, whether they are willing to stand with him or not is their own choice in this matter.

"I'd rather wait until Liang King dies before I come out of seclusion than fight under his command," Long Xiao sneered. "With someone like that as the commander-in-chief of the Southern Barbarian Expedition, the Southern Barbarians will win sooner or later."

Zhao Xing looked at Long Xiao in surprise, not expecting Long Xiao to have such thoughts. But he was right, the Southern Barbarians would win sooner or later.

"The Liang King has no right to revoke my title," Chen Shijie said. "At most, he can only dismiss me from my post. I will still have my Nobility Title, so I might as well go back and retire."

"Since you're all preparing like this, what's the point of me writing anything?" Xia Jing said. "Just participate, I have nothing to do for the next three months anyway. I don't believe writing a memorial can do anything to me."

Only Liao Rulong decided to consult Yang An, while the other three immediately wrote impeachment documents and submitted them.

On the seventh day of the tenth month of the nineteenth year of the Jingxin Calendar, the impeachment document submitted by Zhao Xing and three others disappeared without a trace.

Only Tantai Ming came over and asked Zhao Xing what he meant.

Zhao Xing continued with his righteous and stern rhetoric.

Even a seasoned strategist like Tantai Ming did not doubt Zhao Xing's motives.

Zhao Xing had witnessed Shao Wanjie's crimes and corruption during his internship in Cloud City.

He also experienced the loss of supplies in the war zone, which led to his killing of Qian Shougang in a fit of rage.

Their journey to the Eternal Night Sea was followed by pursuit by Fifth Grade Vassal of the King of Liang King...

Moreover, he took Liu Tianning as his teacher.

Who is Liu Tianning?

While not necessarily upright and incorruptible, Liu Tianning is at least relatively "Justice" now; otherwise, he wouldn't have become an inspector and Transportation Envoy.

Therefore, Zhao Xing's impeachment of the Liang King was entirely justified, and it was also understandable from an emotional perspective.

On October 8th, Zhao Xing sent the mail again, but still received no response and caused no stir.

On October 9th, Zhao Xing's words became even more intense, mixed with strong personal emotions, and he even started cursing. Of course, not in the way of cursing one's mother. He would never dare to insult the Prince of Liang King's relatives, otherwise wouldn't that be cursing Emperor Jing?

On October 11th, the impeachment was launched, but it was all ignored.

On October 12th, an impeachment was made against the Liang King, but there was no response.

After that, Zhao Xing began impeaching people every day and expanded the scope of his impeachments. No matter who you were, as long as you were qualified to write to Emperor Jing, Zhao Xing would impeach you.

He even threw some at Ji Chen.

Upon receiving this letter, Ji Chen felt as if a thousand horses were galloping through his mind.

"This Marquis Yuan Rang, has he gone mad?"

"He actually delivered the document impeaching my father to me!"

"Look at what he wrote! He even encouraged me, his son, to uphold justice and denounce my father..."

Ji Chen was so angry he laughed.

Even with his excellent self-control, he couldn't tolerate it at this moment.

"Military Advisor, put pressure on the military to shut this guy up!"

"Send another letter to Yang An and Liu Tianning, telling them to keep an eye on this Marquis Yuan Rang!"

Ji Chen was very angry.

This was the first time he had ever encountered such a bizarre tactic.

The Military Advisor was also puzzled. "I asked an intermediary to inquire earlier, and Yang An seemed to be unaware of it. Liu Tianning, on the other hand, did not want to get involved in this matter. I don't know if he was unaware, wanted to let it go, or couldn't control it."

"Can't control them? Unaware of the situation?" Ji Chen said. "Then let someone else manage them!"

"How can the might of my father, the King, tolerate such offense?"

The strategist pondered for a moment and said, "The Prince's Mansion did have some disagreements with him before. He is only twenty-three or twenty-four years old now, so it is normal for him to be a bit impetuous."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"I have two strategies, superior, middle, and inferior, for you to choose from, young master," the strategist said with a smile.

"I would like to hear the details."

"The best course of action is to talk to Marquis Yuan Rang and see if he wants any benefits. Perhaps we can take this opportunity to put aside past grievances and win him over."

"Given his potential and Liu Tianning's background, he's willing to pay any price."

"Turning enemies into friends is the best strategy."

Ji Chen pondered, "What about a middle-ground strategy?"

"Sometimes impeachment is not necessarily an adversarial act. The prince is about to seize power, and some impeachment voices may not necessarily be a bad thing."

"Ignore it, don't interfere. Don't let the Prince's forces do anything; let them do as they please. This is the best course of action."

"Is what I just said the worst option?" Ji Chen, somewhat annoyed. "Suppressing him, targeting him—do you consider that a worst option, sir?"

The strategist smiled without saying a word: "Young master's understanding has improved."

"Alright then," Ji Chen said, "I'll listen to you, sir."

In the military camp.

When Zhao Xing saw Ji Chen's reply, his heart was filled with a thousand galloping horses.

"That's incredibly patient."

"Even though I cursed my son at his father, he still had such good manners and came to ask me in a calm and peaceful manner what I could do to resolve this peacefully."

"The people in the Liang King's Residence may be bad, but they are definitely not stupid," Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh.

He's finding it rather difficult to extricate himself now.

Because of Liu Tianning and Rahu King's presence, the people of the Liang King's Residence's Mansion tended to adopt a conciliatory attitude towards him.

At worst, I'll just ignore it.

Old Master Zhao was speechless.

"It's made me feel a little guilty towards Ji Chen."

But in this kind of situation, how can you be soft-hearted?

Zhao Xing hesitated only slightly before deciding to proceed with the original plan.

Otherwise, he would have no choice but to deliberately go to the battlefield, get himself seriously injured, and then withdraw.

However, this would be detrimental to one's spiritual practice.

The spiritual essence he painstakingly searched for and risked his life to obtain in the Grotto-Heaven, would it all vanish if he broke through his cultivation realm?

"We still need to take some drastic measures." Zhao Xing sat down at the table.

Fifteen thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, but that's almost sixteen thousand. I'll write two hundred more words tomorrow!

Also, this volume will end tomorrow, but there will still be a lot of updates.