On a mountaintop north of the Undead Mountain Range, a hundred tents as black as ink were pitched, surrounded by spiked fences to form a small encampment.
Around them, soldiers in black armor, exuding a murderous aura, patrolled back and forth from time to time.
Anyone knowledgeable would be greatly surprised, for these were not ordinary soldiers, but the most renowned Black Armored Army of the Golden Leaf Dynasty.
Of course, although the Black Armored Army nominally belonged to the Golden Leaf Dynasty, everyone knew that it was actually the direct lineage army of the Nord Family.
The Black Armored Army was forged in blood and fire, its formidable combat power striking fear into the hearts of all nations and forces that dared to oppose it.
The Black Armored Army was not large in number. For a military establishment of a hundred thousand men, a mere twelve thousand Black Armored Soldiers represented a severe shortage.
There were a hundred tents here, with four Black Armored Soldiers billeted in each. This meant that four hundred Black Armored Soldiers were stationed here, equivalent to one battalion.
One battalion of the Black Armored Army was already a considerable force.
Ordinary armies, even with ten times their numbers, would be routed by a single battalion of the Black Armored Army.
The spirit of the Black Armored Army was forged by the Nord Family, and it was also the Nord Family's greatest reliance. The reason why the emperors of the Golden Leaf Dynasty dared not move against the Nord Family for generations was largely due to the existence of the Black Armored Army.
At this moment, inside the main tent of the Black Armored Army camp, a burly young man with his chest bared was intently studying a map of the Undead Mountain Range spread out on the table, crisscrossed with numerous lines.
The young man's features were chiseled, his muscles taut and powerful. A roaring tiger was tattooed on his chest, its head emblazoned across his two iron-like pectoral muscles.
As his chest muscles rippled, the tiger seemed to come alive, more vivid than ever.
This was Huai'an Nord, Qi Bei's elder brother, born of the same mother, and one of the three commanders of the Black Armored Army.
The Black Armored Army comprised thirty battalions, with one commander appointed for every ten battalions. Huai'an Nord, who had only recently turned twenty, already held a position of great power.
"Brother, where are you? Big brother doesn't believe you're dead." Huai'an Nord slammed his fist heavily on the table. He could not forget how their mother, on her deathbed after the difficult childbirth that brought Qi Bei into the world, had tearfully clasped his hand and implored him to take good care of his younger brother. He had been only five years old then.
Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and two excessively delicate-looking soldiers entered, carrying pastries and tea.
"Commander, please have something to eat. I made these myself," said the soldier with a small red mole between her eyebrows, her voice soft and melodious, distinctly that of a young woman.
Huai'an Nord looked up, a headache forming as he regarded the maiden disguised as a soldier.
This maiden was no ordinary person; she was Princess Ruixue of the Golden Leaf Dynasty.
Ten days ago, Princess Ruixue had snuck out of the Imperial Palace with a maidservant and come to the perilous Undead Mountain Range to find him.
Princess Ruixue was stunningly beautiful and gentle, and her affections for him were an open secret.
Huai'an Nord was a virile man, and on that very day, he had found a jade pendant left behind by Qi Bei. Believing his brother had met with misfortune, he was overcome with grief.
And at that moment, with Princess Ruixue gently comforting him, their passion ignited.
After a night of passion, Princess Ruixue, a maiden, endured the discomfort and repeatedly allowed his frantic advances, yielding to his every whim.
Upon regaining his senses, Huai'an Nord knew he had stirred up a hornet's nest. The conflict between the royal family and the Nord Family was irreconcilable. Moreover, Huai'an Nord had been betrothed to Miss Feng Ruoyun of the Feng Family since childhood.
If Princess Ruixue were to follow him, his engagement to Miss Feng would be broken, and the alliance between the Nord Family and the Feng Family would be fractured.
Furthermore, if he became a royal son-in-law, the Nord Family would not feel secure entrusting him with command of the army.
However, Huai'an Nord was a man who took responsibility for his actions. Since things had come to this, he would not shy away. He had already sent a truthful account to his father, trusting that his father's wisdom would devise a suitable solution.
Princess Ruixue gazed at Huai'an Nord's robust physique with a hint of infatuation. She walked gently behind him, her jade-like hands beginning to massage his shoulders.
As she massaged, Princess Ruixue's breathing suddenly quickened, and her small hands transitioned from massaging to caressing.
Having just experienced the ways of intimacy, she was now savoring the taste of it.
Huai'an Nord grasped Princess Ruixue's small hand and lifted her directly onto the large table. With a rough pull, he stripped her down like a little lamb, his powerful physique pressing down on her.
Panting and moaning immediately filled the air, while beside them, the delicate maidservant watched this intimate spectacle.
In the upper echelons of the Golden Leaf Dynasty's high society, it was quite common for maidservants to witness their masters engaging in intimacy; most masters did not avoid their personal maids.
The role of a personal maid was to warm the bed, and when their masters were aroused, they were expected to join the fray.
The maidservant's pretty face flushed red, her gaze lowered, her hands clasped in front of her, appearing quite shy.
However, no one noticed the dark depths of her lowered gaze, nor the faint black glow emanating from between her clasped hands.
Qi Bei held Yao Rao, who was as cold as ice, his body numb from the chill emanating from her.
If not for the furious circulation of inner force within him, he feared the cold would have already invaded his heart and killed him.
Holding a peerless beauty, an event that should have been intensely sensual, was the most agonizing experience for Qi Bei. Even his "little brother" was so frozen it was almost numb; what sensuality was there?
Fortunately, this was already the ninth day. One more day tomorrow, and the strange cold poison on Yao Rao would cease its attack.
And every morning, his "little brother" still proudly pressed against Yao Rao, which Qi Bei took as a small consolation. At least his "little brother" had proven itself, not succumbing to premature impotence.
Yao Rao also seemed to tacitly permit his morning advances, perhaps as a form of gratitude and compensation. As for whether there were any emotional components to this, whenever Qi Bei inquired, she always responded with cold sarcasm.
Over these nine days, Qi Bei had almost always fallen asleep from exhaustion due to the excessive consumption of inner force. However, this had brought him an unexpected surprise: his inner force was strengthening several times faster than before.
Qi Bei drowsily woke up, suddenly feeling a soft, smooth mass enveloped in his palm. He instinctively squeezed it. This sensation...
Qi Bei suddenly realized something and abruptly opened his eyes. He saw Yao Rao glaring fiercely at him, and his hand, at some unknown time, had slipped into her clothes and was now cupping one of her breasts.
"Does it feel good?" Yao Rao purred, but her sweet, soft voice carried a chilling coldness.
Qi Bei snatched his hand back like lightning, shaking his head like a drum.
"Not good to touch?" Yao Rao's tone grew colder.
Damn it! Qi Bei nodded frantically again.
"Good to touch? Do you want to touch again?" Yao Rao leaned her head close to Qi Bei's face, her orchid-like fragrance spraying onto his lips.
Qi Bei rolled his eyes. Whatever you want, I don't care. He shamelessly said, "It feels great. It'll be even better if I can touch it every day."
"Then touch it again." Yao Rao's lips curved upwards.
Qi Bei actually reached out. Damn it, you want me to touch it? You really think I wouldn't dare?
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