The War Escalates

Of the vast dynasty and countless cities, only the Di'an City can be called its heart.

This is a sky city built atop Nine Dragon Mountain.

At least, that's what Xu Yuan thought in Cangyuan, but there's always a slight difference between reality and the game.

Over thousands of years of expansion and renovation, Di'an City has expanded from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain, and continues to spread outwards.

The majestic Nine Dragon Mountain is now shrouded in countless clusters of buildings, including pavilions, gardens, and densely packed working-class neighborhoods.

With the Golden Throne atop the Golden Throne Hall at the mountain's summit as the central axis, several massive official roads, wide enough for large Demon Beast to pass through, traverse and divide the Di'an City. Four towering and majestic city walls divide the vast city into four sections: the Palace, the Imperial City, the Inner City, and the Outer City, arranged from the inside out and from high to low.

Sitting atop the Mystic Eagle Pavilion and looking out...

Amidst a misty rain, white birds sing to the phoenix, and countless Demon Beast gather from all directions.

Looking down, the city was bustling with people, and countless merchants were unloading goods at the various city gates, feeding this behemoth with all kinds of necessities.

After soaring through the Mystic Eagle Pavilion and entering the imperial city, they were the only Demon Beast flying in the vast sky.

According to the Great Yan Law, airspace is prohibited in the imperial city, regardless of whether it is a flying Demon Beast or a high-level cultivator.

As the familiar, massive mansion drew nearer, Xu Yuan slowly withdrew his gaze and turned it to the man in blue opposite him.

Xu Changge's voice was calm, with a faint smile:

"How was your trip back to the capital? Did you notice any changes in the city?"

Xu Yuan thought for a moment and said:

"I don't think I saw the Heavenly Palace Tower just now."

"." Xu Changge.

As he spoke, Xu Yuan pointed to the river that ran through the Imperial Capital:

"Also, I see that a few new brothels have opened near the Dragon Peace River. They look quite impressive, though."

"Well, in short, there have been quite a few changes."

Xu Changge raised his hand to rub his forehead, glanced at the sky, and exhaled:

"Father should be at the manor now."

Xu Yuan nodded upon hearing this, not surprised.

Court assemblies are not held every day. Most important officials in the Imperial Capital usually spend their time in their own "offices" within the palace. However, Xu Yinhe generally prefers to work in his own residence.

After a moment's pause, Xu Yuan suddenly asked Xu Changge:

"By the way, Xu Changge, which identity should I use when I return to the Imperial Capital?"

Xu Changge raised her eyes and glanced at her third brother:

Which one do you want to use?

Xu Yuan chuckled:

"I can use either one."

Xu Changge sighed and said:

"You've come back because of the engagement, just be careful not to give yourself away."

Xu Yuan grinned and removed the human skin mask:

"Okay."

After speaking, there was silence.

The height of the Mystic Eagle Pavilion gradually began to decrease.

At this time,

Xu Yuan seemed to suddenly remember something and said:

"By the way, I traveled north with the Third Prince before."

Xu Changge was not surprised:

"Yes, I saw him on the way here."

Xu Yuan tapped the table and started stacking his armor:

"Xu Changge, I want to ask you a question, nothing more."

Xu Changge glanced helplessly at his third brother and nodded:

"Ask away."

Xu Yuan carefully considered his words:

"Who was that woman in red just now? The Third Prince saw her and knows she came for me."

Xu Changge's eyes were calm, and his voice betrayed no emotion.

"She is Little Heavenly Master of the Heavenly Master Sect."

"Little Heavenly Master?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan was stunned for a moment:

"Wasn't it said that the Little Heavenly Master of the Heavenly Master Sect was a man?"

Xu Changge's voice was calm:

"Women who travel the world disguised as men are rare?"

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment and then shook his head:

"It's not uncommon, but it's quite rare to be able to keep it a secret from the world for over a decade."

"Indeed rare."

Xu Changge smiled slightly, gazing out the window with a complex expression, and sipped her tea. "So you don't need to worry that the Third Prince will suspect you because of her."

Seeing this expression, Xu Yuan wanted to laugh, but he held back and instead asked seriously:

"So, my identity shouldn't be revealed to her?"

Xu Changge glanced at Xu Yuan and uttered two words:

"Won't."

Upon hearing this,

Xu Yuan laughed, and as he laughed, he got up and walked to Xu Changge's side, patting his older brother on the shoulder.

Xu Changge remained seated, teacup in hand.

Xu Yuan pulled out a futon and sat down, picked up a wine cup and poured himself a drink, speaking earnestly:

"Xu Changge, I just took a look, and there's something I think I can talk to you about."

Xu Changge glanced at Xu Yuan's movements, her eyes calm, and remained silent.

"."

Xu Yuan coughed lightly:

"I know that it might be hard for you, the eldest, to talk about this from the perspective of the third brother, but feelings aren't a matter of cultivation, nor are they a matter of fighting; it's not about who has the bigger fist."

"Buzz--"

A buzzing sound,

A dark figure was thrown down from the Mystic Eagle Pavilion and landed with a "thud" in the wetland lake within the Prime Minister's Estate.

Emerging from the rain-shrouded lake, Xu Yuan looked up at the Mystic Yin Pavilion whistling through the air and sighed helplessly.

Being too proud to admit your mistakes only leads to suffering; you deserve to be single forever.

I stepped onto the lake, still soaking wet, and suddenly saw a figure already waiting on the shore.

Xu Yuan wasn't surprised to see this; the Prime Minister's Estate was never short of experts.

The figure was a woman, holding an umbrella, who handed over a towel.

"Third Young Master, a towel."

"Thanks."

Xu Yuan glanced at the other person's face, then subconsciously glanced at the other side of the lake shore.

There stands a nine-story attic.

The Library Pavilion of the Prime Minister's Estate.

The woman waiting on the shore was the maid in the Library Pavilion, and also his mother's personal maid when she was alive.

Grandmaster of the Third Rank.

Xu Yuan took the towel, nodded, and smiled:

"Um."

The woman smiled gently, handed the umbrella to Xu Yuan, and bowed slightly.

"The Prime Minister is waiting for you in the inner court. This servant will take her leave now."

Having said that, the woman waded through the lake and braved the rain to walk towards the Library Pavilion.

Watching the other person walk away, Xu Yuan shook his head, held up an umbrella, dried his hair with a towel, and walked towards the inner courtyard.

The Prime Minister's Estate in the Imperial Capital was also very large, even larger than the one in Jingjiang Prefecture. The current emperor specially ordered the demolition of several nearby blocks in this prime location of the imperial city to build it for his father.

Compared to the Xu Estate in Jingjiang Prefecture, the Imperial Capital's Prime Minister's Estate was noticeably more lively.

Besides the most basic maids and servants, there were also many people in the mansion dressed in court official robes and brocade robes.

Some of these people came to pay their respects and offer gifts, some came to deliver memorials to the emperor, and others were his father's subordinates and advisors.

I didn't know it before, but now that I look at it again, this Prime Minister's Estate is like another court within the Imperial Capital.

Those who could stay and work in the Prime Minister's Estate were mostly elderly people, which is why Xu Yuan, who had removed his human skin mask, could move around freely within it.

No collateral branch prince or high-ranking evil servant suddenly appeared to make things difficult for the Third Young Master who had just returned from his trip.

As he walked along, most of the people who bowed to Xu Yuan exuded a deep and unfathomable aura.

If this were in Cangyuan, these people would probably all be elite BOSSes with blood-red question marks above their heads.

after all,

The Prime Minister's Estate in Cangyuan is considered the most difficult final boss room.

Gathering his thoughts, Xu Yuan chuckled and shook his head, banishing the unrealistic idea from his mind, and raised his hand to press down on the wooden door in front of him.

Most of the Prime Minister's Estate was the outer courtyard, while the Inner Court, where the direct descendants lived, was actually quite small.

Each of the four siblings has one room, Xu Yinhe has one room, there is a study room, and there is a main hall where they eat together.

Thinking about it, Xu Yuan walked in.

What comes into view is a familiar stone-paved path, with some unknown flowers and plants planted on both sides, and the main hall is just over ten meters away at the end.

An old man and a young man were already seated inside the main hall.

The rain pattered down, falling like beads from the eaves along the old tiles, splashing and creating puddles in the courtyard.

However, neither of them waited for him and they had already started eating.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan smiled slightly without realizing it and quickly stepped forward.

The main hall in the inner courtyard was not decorated with dragons and phoenixes; it simply had a square table with two seats on each side, quite simple.

Because this inner courtyard is the true restricted area of Prime Minister's Estate.

The rules were set by Xu Yinhe himself.

No one else is allowed to enter except for their family; even high-ranking officials like Lou Ji are not permitted to enter this restricted area.

Since there were no outsiders present, there was naturally no need for any pomp and circumstance.

Although it was the day Xu Yuan returned to the Imperial Capital, neither father nor son made any attempt to welcome him back.

Lunch consisted of four meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup, just like before.

This is the standard if not everyone is present; if everyone is present, an extra meat dish and a vegetable dish will be served.

but

It's unlikely that everyone will be there.

"."

The only sounds in the small main hall were the crisp clinking of chopsticks against porcelain bowls and the sound of rain outside.

After Xu Yuan greeted him, Xu Yinhe nodded and then sat down.

There were no pleasantries, no words of concern, as if he hadn't been gone for two years, but had simply left in the morning and returned at noon.

The father and his two sons shoveled food into their mouths, remaining silent.

It's not that there are any rules; Xu Yinhe isn't a strict father. He wouldn't say anything even if you overturned the table while eating, let alone talk or eat.

Just be prepared to be hung up and beaten by Xu Changge afterwards.

After a long period of silence,

Xu Yinhe slowly put down his chopsticks, looking at Xu Yuan who had returned home:

"Your engagement will need some more time to proceed."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan raised his eyes, pondered for a moment, and asked:

"Why?"

Xu Yinhe made no attempt to hide anything and stated directly:

"Marquis of Martial Achievement has gone to the Northern Border, so the marriage will have to wait until he returns."

Xu Yuan frowned immediately upon hearing this.

Marquis of Martial Achievement went to the Northern Border?

This is quite a lot of information.

Now that he has witnessed the power of military formations and learned a lot about them along the way, he naturally no longer underestimates this military genius of the Great Yan as he did before.

First and second-rank experts can employ tactics of waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out when facing a military formation, but these tactics are rarely used in actual battles because they are very likely to result in being thrown into a trap.

Military Cultivation Method differ from conventional Cultivation Method; they belong to a completely different path.

He embodies the strength of thousands of soldiers.

Although, apart from a few monstrous and ruthless individuals, any cultivator of the same level could easily defeat a general who had mastered a military formation, as long as the soldiers circulated their Cultivation Method, even without forming a military formation, the general's strength would increase exponentially under the resonance of their Source Qi energy, including their five senses, Will Soul, and so on.

If the accompanying military experts can hold off the attackers for even a moment, the attackers will basically never return.

After a moment's thought, Xu Yuan asked in a low voice:

"Is it that only Mr. Zong can't handle this?"

Zong Qingsheng commands the Black Scale Army, so his military formation skills are naturally beyond question. Now, one person isn't enough, so even Marquis of Martial Achievement has gone.

Upon hearing this question, Xu Yinhe pondered for a moment before calmly replying:

"Things are a bit complicated. In short, it seems that those foreigners in the Great Desert have formed an alliance with the Barbarian Tribe."

The father spoke lightly, but the implications he made were multifaceted.

Xu Yuan gathered his thoughts slightly and asked:

"Father, may I see the details?"

Since parting ways with Lou Ji, the intelligence chief, Xu Yuan's information sources during his two-month journey north have been primarily the official gazettes published by the government.

The official gazette was mostly filled with stories of peace and prosperity, and the war in the Northern Border was generally going smoothly.

Two months later, the war in the Northern Border did not stop; on the contrary, it seemed to have escalated.

This war, which was never mentioned in any writing in Cangyuan, seems to have already foreshadowed the beginning of a chaotic era.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan felt a little heavy-hearted.

Xu Yinhe stared at Xu Yuan's expression for a few moments, then chuckled softly:

"Changtian, are you very interested in this war?"

Xu Yuan put down his chopsticks, took out three teacups, poured one for each person, and said:

"The emperor wants to eliminate the surrounding tribes. If the Barbarian Tribe form an alliance with the Great Desert, we can temporarily avoid fighting with the Li Family."

The treasonous words fell softly in the room, but Xu Yinhe showed no expression.

"The situation in the Northern Border is not good right now. Many of our supply lines have been cut off, and we are now relying heavily on the Sumeru Ring."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan immediately understood and asked:

"Made by the sect?"

Xu Yinhe did not answer, but the darkness in his eyes still told Xu Yuan the answer.

Xu Yuan sighed upon seeing this.

With nearly a million soldiers clashing, the battle boils down to logistics.

After decades of management, the Great Yan royal family and the Prime Minister's Estate now possess various war supplies, but they cannot be delivered to the front lines.

The sect's spies are almost everywhere in the Northern Border, and people can sneak over in batches, but large-scale transport of supplies cannot be done in this way.

In other words, only the Sumeru Ring can be used to send it.

However, the capacity of a standard Sumeru Ring is approximately 4x4x4.

After pondering for a few moments, Xu Yuan suddenly remembered something and said:

"Father, do you mean that we can only use the Sumeru Ring to transport supplies now?"

Xu Yinhe didn't answer, but glanced sideways at Xu Changge beside him.

Upon seeing this look, Xu Changge, who was usually a domineering CEO, obediently took out a paper file from his Sumeru Ring and placed it on the square table.

Xu Yuan didn't look at it immediately; there were some things he needed to report to his father first:

"If you need the Sumeru Ring, I discovered a secret realm near the Guanyin Mountain Range during my travels."

Sorry for being a few minutes late.