"They kept saying that the Peacock Dynasty had raised an unrighteous army and waged an unjust war, so it was bound to suffer defeat and ruin. They even said that His Majesty had only been able to conquer city after city without a single defeat because he had more men and had previously faced weaker opponents. Now that Yan Xiangma had arrived, His Majesty would—"
The old attendant's voice grew weaker and softer. Clearly, the words that followed were nothing good.
"Yan Xiangma!" The Peacock King chewed over the name, then said coldly, "An unknown nobody, yet he dares be so arrogant? Once one of my generals takes his head, I'll see whether this brat has three heads and six arms."
After a pause, the Peacock King turned to Imperial Advisor Ying Wuyu and said, "Why does the name Yan Xiangma sound so familiar?"
Ying Wuyu smiled faintly with the corners of his eyes. "Have you forgotten Kunlun Divine Palace? That young man who would rather sever his father-son relationship with his father than abandon Li Mu Yang. After hearing about him, you even praised his fervent loyalty and towering sense of justice. What a pity he wasn't one of my Peacock men."
"That boy." Ying Boyan finally remembered who Yan Xiangma was. "So he really is Li Mu Yang's friend. I was wondering why his tone sounded so familiar—sharp and cutting, like a knife. So the two of them are bosom friends, with a bond forged through life and death."
After a pause, he added, "Those who associate with vermin become vermin."
"General Lister is seasoned and battle-hardened, a fierce general at His Majesty's side. That is precisely why His Majesty entrusted him with the vital duty of escorting the provisions. Who would have thought General Lister would die