That Year, a Group of People's Ideals

When the enormous Mystic Eagle descended from the sky, Sun Veil out the sun, creating a surging shockwave.

The next moment,

As the Source Qi surged, a row of semi-transparent staircases formed from the array patterns of the pavilion appeared one after another on one side of the Mystic Eagle.

Xu Yuan, standing on the attic deck, chuckled and shook his head upon seeing this scene.

According to Xu Xinyao, just like choosing the configuration when buying a car in her previous life, this stepped pattern is something that needs to be selected.

It has no practical use, but it looks very sophisticated.

It's a pity there's no one downstairs to greet us.

Yuan Hao showed no intention of coming to greet them, and didn't even send an adjutant.

However, Xu Yuan wasn't angry; instead, he found Yuan Hao somewhat amusing.

His arrival means that a fight is unlikely to break out.

After descending the Xuan Ying Pavilion via the Source Qi Mystic Eagle Pavilion, Xu Yuan saw the East City after the war.

Because it was a surprise attack operation involving both inside and outside the city, with airborne troops, virtually no destructive siege equipment was used, and the city walls remained intact.

However, in many places, the surface was covered with a rather disgusting green, viscous substance.

As the two approached

After seeing this thing, Xu Xinyao was stunned for a moment, then said in a trembling voice:

"This is... Spirit-Blocking Slime?"

"What?"

Xu Yuan glanced at the Fourth Sister and noticed something was off about her gaze. He casually asked, "Did you invent this thing?"

Xu Xinyao nodded:

"Um."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, briefly sensed it with his Will Soul, and said with a smile:

"It didn't damage the array's structure, but it blocked the transmission of Source Qi. This new weapon seems to be working quite well."

Xu Xinyao pursed her red lips, clenched her fists slightly, and said softly:

"I initially researched this to test the independence of the array patterns, to prevent the material from being rendered unusable after a single failure, so as not to damage the array pattern structure itself."

Speaking of this,

Xu Xinyao's eyes dimmed considerably as she stared at the green slime:

"But... but they actually turned it into a weapon."

"."

They forged plowshares into swords.

Xu Yuan paused, gave Xu Xinyao a deep look, sighed, and remained silent.

Throughout his journey, Yuan Hao demonstrated a truly remarkable ability to govern his army.

After a brief period of chaos Wanxiang East City has returned to order.

The Black Scale Army were bustling about beneath the East City, counting the captured weapons and casualties, while some soldiers cleared the streets and maintained order in the distance.

The fallen comrades were neatly and temporarily placed in the shade of the city wall, waiting for special flying Demon Beast to carry them back to their hometowns. The corpses of the Wanxiang garrison were not so lucky; they were haphazardly piled on a special large cloth, like a small hill.

In addition, Xu Yuan also inspected many Black Scale Army that had been reorganized and were ready to continue carrying out military orders at any time.

Yuan Hao seems to be impatient.

When Xu Yuan arrived at Yuan Hao's location, Yuan Hao was gathered with some generals wearing mid-to-high-level armor, issuing some orders.

Upon seeing this, Xu Yuan did not immediately approach, but instead stood quietly to the side with the silent Xu Xinyao, waiting.

He knew that Yuan Hao knew he had arrived.

Yuan Hao did know that Xu Yuan had arrived, and that the other party was standing not far away watching.

He just doesn't want to face it.

The adjutant beside him tried several times to remind General Yuan Hao that he had arrived, but Yuan Hao simply glared at him and shut him down.

He really liked the Third Young Master's saying, "When a general is in the field, he may disobey some of the orders of the army."

Disobeying military orders—that suited his taste perfectly.

But now that people are practically blatantly disobeying orders, it would be ungrateful of them to disobey.

The group of generals stared at each other in silence. Since Commander Yuan didn't speak, they didn't dare to leave and could only listen to the other side spouting nonsense about military discipline.

Finally, the adjutant beside him couldn't hold back any longer and quickly reminded him in a low voice:

"Commander Yuan, the main general has arrived. What do you see?"

"."

Suddenly, silence fell.

Yuan Hao slowly turned his head and glanced at him, then said:

"Huh? The commander? Where is the commander?"

I'm here.

"."

Yuan Hao glanced back.

Xu Yuan smiled and waved at him, "Commander Yuan, you can continue if you haven't finished speaking."

"." Yuan Hao.

Yuan Hao turned around naturally, waved his hand, signaling the generals below to get lost, then quickly ran to Xu Yuan and said with a smile:

"Just let me know when you arrive."

Xu Yuan said with a hint of sarcasm:

"Isn't this because I didn't want to disturb Commander Yuan's emphasis on military discipline?"

Yuan Hao's voice was very serious:

"Of course, the city we captured is ours, and the losses we inflict are also ours."

Having said that,

Yuan Hao's expression suddenly relaxed. He rubbed his hands together and asked with a low laugh:

"Um... I wonder how the negotiations went, young master? I heard from your military order that the Black Scale Army is basically reorganized. They'll be ready after the Seventh Battalion enters the city to reorganize."

"Alright, there's still no result." Xu Yuan interrupted, saying helplessly.

"."

Yuan Hao's eyes widened for a moment, as if he wanted to laugh, but he held back, frowning and saying seriously:

"But the Wanxiang Sect doesn't know what's good for them?"

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes:

"I don't know, I've already said it, but there's still no result."

Yuan Hao tentatively asked:

"Then let's make a plan."

"Continue."

"Then I will go first."

Yuan Hao clenched his fists, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and prepared to leave without hesitation.

Generals in the field, military orders

"Don't rush, stay with me."

Xu Yuan immediately dismissed his idea. "I have something to ask you."

"Young master, military affairs..."

"I already said I have something to ask you."

Yuan Hao remained silent.

Xu Yuan pointed to the cleared road ahead and whispered:

"Let's talk as we walk."

Yuan Hao and Xu Xinyao followed silently.

The bodies had all been moved, but there were still some fresh bloodstains on the road. Xu Yuan looked at the crimson blood and asked in a low voice:

"Is Bai Zhao dead?"

"Ah?"

Yuan Hao was stunned for a moment.

With military affairs so urgent right now, is this all the reason you're keeping him around?

Thinking about it, Yuan Hao looked at the figure in front of him and sighed inwardly.

It seems the Third Young Master also knows that he likes his saying, "A general in the field may disobey orders."

It's highly unlikely that a fight will break out.

He answered truthfully in a low voice:

"He was about to commit suicide, but I saved him. He's currently being cared for just two blocks away."

"Have someone bring him over," Xu Yuan said.

Yuan Hao left in silence to arrange manpower, but he was still within Xu Yuan's line of sight.

Upon witnessing this scene,

Xu Xinyao asked in a low voice:

"Third Brother, are you planning to silence me?"

Xu Yuan shook his head, not answering her, but softly called out:

"Elder sister?"

"What?"

A reproachful voice immediately rang out from beside Xu Yuan, and Lou Ji, who was wearing a coat, appeared beside him.

Xu Yuan smiled slightly upon seeing this; he had seen this method of concealing one's presence before with Si Ziyu.

"Do you still have a human skin mask on?"

Lou Ji frowned upon hearing this:

"You want to give it to that person named Bai Zhao?"

Xu Yuan nodded:

"Um."

Sigh~

Lou Ji sighed softly, seemingly somewhat reluctant, but still agreed, "Changtian, you really are a spendthrift! But what can I do? You called me 'sister'!"

As she spoke, Lou Ji took out an iron box from her Sumeru Ring.

Xu Yuan took it, Lou Ji casually reminded him at this moment:

"Changtian, the world is vast; you don't need to leave a risk in the world."

Xu Yuan remained silent for a moment, then smiled and shook his head:

"I know, but I can't be that cold-blooded right now. He's not like Zhou Xiaohe; he's done good for us."

Xu Xinyao silently followed behind Xu Yuan, biting her lip, her eyes filled with complex emotions as she watched his retreating figure.

soon,

Bai Zhao was then led over by several soldiers.

Yuan Hao, quite tactfully, stood not far away, gazing wistfully at the bustling Wanxiang City.

The middle-aged man, Bai Zhao, with his temples half-gray, instinctively wanted to kneel down the moment he saw Xu Yuan, but he restrained himself and whispered:

"You were looking for me?"

He didn't kneel down, nor did he address him as "Third Young Master," remaining as proper as ever.

Xu Yuan didn't say anything, but casually handed the box to him.

Seeing this, Lou Ji pouted with heartache and muttered softly:

"You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household."

"."

Xu Yuan glanced at the old woman with a sly look, Lou Ji snorted and turned her face away.

Investing in something so expensive on an insignificant person would be a losing proposition, and she was very unhappy about it.

Turning his gaze away, Xu Yuan stared at the somewhat bewildered Bai Zhao before him and whispered:

"You should have seen what's inside this box."

Bai Zhao had seen the box before and heard the words of the stunningly beautiful woman beside the Third Young Master; his voice trembled slightly.

"Face and face."

Xu Yuan smiled slightly and asked:

So, what is your choice?

Bai Zhao still knelt down, his body trembling as he knelt before Xu Yuan.

"How could I, Bai, possibly deserve such treatment from you?"

Xu Yuan looked down at him, his tone calm:

"Bai Zhao, you're a smart man. You should know what this mask represents."

"Know."

So, what's your choice?

"."

Bai Zhao remained silent, bowing his head respectfully to Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan smiled slightly:

"Bai Zhao is dead today. Think of a name yourself and go. Someone will arrange a new job for you in a while."

Having said that,

Xu Yuan waved his hand and walked straight ahead, accompanied by Yuan Hao and Xu Xinyao.

Lou Ji didn't leave, but stood beside the kneeling middle-aged man and said softly:

"Your name is Bai Zhao, right?"

"Bai Zhao is dead, my lord."

Bai Zhao kept his head down on the ground, not daring to look up. He had probably already guessed the identity of the woman accompanying the Third Young Master.

"It seems you've guessed who I am?" Lou Ji asked with interest.

"Lou Ji," Bai Zhao said in a low voice.

Lou Ji crossed her arms over her chest and spoke slowly and deliberately:

"You're quite clever. Since you know who I am, I won't say anything more. Just do your job well and don't let Changtian down."

After saying that, the voice disappeared.

a long time,

Bai Zhao slowly rose and looked at the figure in the center of the crowd, his fists clenched tightly. As the figure gradually walked away, he bowed again with great force.

Walk a distance,

Xu Yuan glanced sideways at Lou Ji beside him and said with a smile:

"Sister, don't look at me like that. When taking over a business, you need a local expert to guide you, right?"

Lou Ji sighed softly:

"What does a gang leader know about any industry?"

Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised upon hearing this:

"Haven't you seen the information in this Bai Zhao?"

Lou Ji shrugged, and a large, wicked smile shook her head:

"I'm very busy, these things are handled by the people below."

Xu Yuan chuckled upon hearing this and said:

"He is indeed just a gang leader. To be able to hide a gang of more than 3,000 people without making a sound, he must have greased the palms of several important counties in the vicinity and be familiar with the situation in the area. Moreover, Bai Zhao ran a chamber of commerce fifteen years ago, which was quite large, but unfortunately it was swallowed up by others because it overstepped its bounds. After that, he honestly became his underground gang."

Without cultivation or background, the more wealth one possesses, the more lucrative one becomes to sects and aristocratic Aristocratic Clan.

Lou Ji chuckled upon hearing this and asked:

"You're planning to have him take charge of the chamber of commerce that's being taken over?"

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"Of course not. At most, we'll give him a deputy position to see how things go. How could we give him such great power right away? With him being a local strongman, the people sent by Old Master Hua should be able to get things done much more smoothly."

Lou Ji said with a smile:

"You do things just like your father did back then."

Xu Yuan smiled upon hearing this:

"Thank you for the compliment, but it's a little unpleasant."

"Oh?"

Lou Ji laughed even harder upon hearing this, and took his arm. "Looks like Changtian has quite the ambitions~"

Xu Yuan shrugged, then asked:

"Sister, I'm curious, with a personality like yours, why have you always worked for my father?"

In several storylines within Cangyuan, Lou Ji commits suicide after Xu Yinhe's death.

Of course, she wasn't the only one who took her own life.

Hua Hong.

Zong Qingsheng.

Bai Dai

These high-ranking officials in Cangyuan all chose to end their own lives after learning of Xu Yinhe's death, a decision they found reassuring.

In my memory, my father was mostly just a silent, smiling figure with his back turned.

Lou Ji thought about it seriously for a moment, then lowered her eyes and whispered:

"There are many reasons. We respect your father's character, admire his methods, and are impressed by his talent. Of course, more importantly, he embodies our ideals."

Xu Yuan was silent for a moment:

"An ideal world of peace and prosperity?"

"Um."

Lou Ji released Xu Yuan, stretched lazily in front of him, and looked up at the sky. "That's how it was at first, but now maybe he just wants to see how far he can take us. After all, people change."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan suddenly fell silent.

Lou Ji tilted her head and leaned forward, giggling:

"Feeling the pressure?"

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes and joked:

"There's definitely pressure. If I could, I really wouldn't want to take on this mess; it's too exhausting."

"."

Lou Ji fell silent upon hearing these joking words.

Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing the other party's expression.

He suddenly realized that Lou Ji, as the number one figure of the Black Scale Guard, might have already vaguely guessed that Xu Yinhe's health was in trouble, and his joke just now seemed to have helped her confirm this guess.

They looked at each other without saying a word.

Neither of them said it out loud.

Lou Ji smiled and tapped him on the head, saying casually:

"You did a great job this time, I'm very satisfied as the examiner!"

Having said that,

She glanced up at the direction of Wanxiang Mountain, then looked back at Xu Yuan with gentle eyes:

"Changtian, you succeeded."

As she finished speaking,

An aged voice drifted from within the city:

"Young master, this old man has come to keep our appointment."