Heaven Dou City, teahouse in the western market.
A private room on the second floor, with the doors and windows shut tight.
Ning Fengzhi sat by the window, holding a secret report that had just arrived from outside the city. His fingers trembled faintly.
There weren't many words in the report, but every one of them struck his heart like an iron hammer.
"An allied army of 450,000 routed in a single night."
"Marshal Helge captured, Prince Xue Ye taken prisoner, King Kundera surrendered."
"Approximately 150,000 killed or dead of their wounds; more than 300,000 prisoners."
"From the start of the battle to the rout, less than two hours."
Less than two hours.
An army of 450,000, gone in less than two hours.
Ning Fengzhi set down the report and took a sip of tea.
The tea had gone cold. Its bitterness spread over his tongue, but he barely noticed.
"Uncle Jian, what do you think?"
Chen Xin sat across from him with his eyes closed, fingers resting on the hilt of the Seven Kill Sword across his knees.
After a moment's silence, he opened his eyes. His gaze was calm and grave.
"I've lived for decades, and I've never heard of a battle like this."
"An army of 450,000 isn't 450,000 pigs.
Even if they were 450,000 swine, 20,000 men couldn't round them all up in a single night."
Ning Fengzhi gave a bitter smile. "But they did."
"That woman is far more terrifying than we imagined."
Chen Xin's voice was low, edged with a wariness even he hadn't noticed in himself.
"How did she do it?"
Ning Fengzhi rose and walked to the window, gazing toward the distant imperial palace.
Morning light spilled across the glazed tiles, gleaming gold.
The palace looked peaceful and serene, nothing like the gaping abyss that had just swallowed 450,000 people.
"Even the most elite Heavenly Strategy Army couldn't possibly defeat 450,000 troops head-on with only 20,000 soldiers."
Ning Fengzhi turned around, his gaze flickering.
"Unless she tampered with the allied army from within.
And not just a few dozen or a few hundred. Hundreds, if not thousands.
Otherwise, she couldn't have made 450,000 men lose all command so quickly."
He paused, lowering his voice even further.
"She even captured Marshal Helge alive."
Chen Xin fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.
"It wasn't just inside help.
She must have calculated in advance where the allied army would camp, the terrain, the water sources, the wind direction...
She probably launched a surprise attack on the central command tent.
That means she knew the allied army's movements like the back of her hand."
Ning Fengzhi's pupils contracted slightly.
"She even knew they planned to besiege the city? Where they would camp? That they'd surround it before attacking?"
"She certainly did." Chen Xin's voice was soft, yet it struck like a heavy hammer. "She knew every move the allied army would make."
The room fell silent for a long while.
Ning Fengzhi leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, his mind racing.
A moment later, he opened his eyes. A complicated glint flashed through them.
"Uncle Jian, what do you think... we should do now?"
Chen Xin didn't answer at once.
Ning Fengzhi stood and paced around the room, his voice low.
"Ever since she issued those policies, I knew this woman was no ordinary person.
But I never imagined she'd be this powerful."
"An allied army of 450,000, crushed by her in a single night."
He stopped and looked at Chen Xin.
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always built its foundations on trade. We're best at navigating among the various factions.
But this time, I truly can't see through her."
"Uncle Jian, what do you think she'll do to us?"
Chen Xin was silent for a moment, then answered slowly.
"I don't know."
"But there's one thing I can say for certain.
She couldn't have prepared those methods in just a day or two.
From the moment she took Heaven Dou City, she was already setting things in motion."
Chen Xin's voice was low and firm.
"Facing the allied army, she didn't passively defend. She struck first.
Before the allied army even reached Heaven Dou City, her blade was already at its throat.
The moment Xue Ye raised his army, the outcome of this battle was already decided."
Ning Fengzhi let out a long sigh.
"I used to think that 450,000 against 20,000 couldn't possibly end in a loss, no matter how the battle went.
But now..."
He looked at Chen Xin, bitterness in his gaze. "I understand."
"Victory has never depended on numbers. It depends on who controls the intelligence, who seizes the initiative, who can anticipate every move the other side makes."
"And she was one step ahead of the allied army at every turn."
The two men fell silent for a moment.
Ning Fengzhi was just about to speak when suddenly—
"No wonder the young sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is so clever. You've analyzed everything so thoroughly."
A slightly seductive voice came from outside the window.
Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin's expressions changed at the same time.
Chen Xin reacted faster. His hand was already on the hilt of the Seven Kill Sword, and his spiritual power surged out like a tide, locking onto the direction of the voice—outside the door.
He hadn't sensed the person's presence.
That meant his opponent either far surpassed him in strength or had some special means of concealment.
"Tap, tap, tap."
Clear footsteps sounded from the stairwell, unhurried, as if treading on people's hearts.
The door to the private room was gently pushed open.
A figure glided inside.
A long black-and-red dress, nine tails swaying, peach-blossom eyes slightly raised, red lips curved in a smile that was neither quite a smile nor quite a smirk.
An enchanting, dangerous aura radiated from her.
Yan Lingji.
A silver-haired, pink-eyed girl followed behind her. She had an equally striking figure and timidly trailed after Yan Lingji, curiously looking around the room.
Na'er.
Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath, suppressing his shock, and quickly arranged a respectful smile on his face.
"I didn't know Your Majesty would grace us with your presence. I'm sorry for failing to welcome you. Please forgive me."
Chen Xin slowly rose as well, one hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze fixed on Yan Lingji.
She stood right there, yet seemed like a void, with not a trace of Soul Power leaking from her.
The more she concealed herself, the more dangerous she seemed.
Yan Lingji glanced around the room, then gracefully took the seat of honor.
Her nine fox tails fanned out behind her as she leaned lazily against the back of the chair.
Na'er stood obediently behind her.
"Young Sect Master Ning, there's no need to be so reserved." Yan Lingji chuckled. "I'm not going to eat you."
"Yes, of course. Your Majesty must be joking." Ning Fengzhi wiped sweat from his brow, though there wasn't any.
Yan Lingji tilted her head, a mischievous glint passing through her peach-blossom eyes.
"I'm rather curious. What were you thinking, Young Sect Master?"
She paused.
"With 450,000 allied troops at the city gates, you were in the city, yet you neither came to see me nor declared your allegiance.
Were you planning to wait until the outcome was clear before siding with the winner?"
Ning Fengzhi's smile stiffened for an instant.
He took a deep breath and spoke slowly:
"Your Majesty, please understand. It's not that I'm unwilling to take a side.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has always built its foundations on trade and stayed out of imperial politics. I came here to observe the situation, not to—"
"Not to what?" Yan Lingji cut him off. "Not to hedge your bets? Not to sway with the wind?"
Ning Fengzhi's face paled.
He opened his mouth to explain, but realized he had no way to refute her.
"Your Majesty must be joking." His voice was somewhat hoarse. "I only... I only..."
"Only what?" Yan Lingji chuckled. "Only wanted to see whether I could weather the storm.
If I did, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would come curry favor with me.
If I didn't, you'd go curry favor with Xue Ye instead."
Her voice was like an invisible sword, piercing through every disguise Ning Fengzhi wore.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Ning Fengzhi's brow.
He had no way to deny it.
Yan Lingji had spoken the truth.
"No wonder you're Young Sect Master Ning." Yan Lingji's voice carried a hint of mockery.
"Courting favor from both sides, swaying with the wind. I must say, I admire that skill."
Ning Fengzhi's body stiffened for an instant, then gradually relaxed. A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"Your Majesty is right. I did... I did mean to wait and see."
He gritted his teeth and lowered himself further.
"Your Majesty's methods are beyond compare. I'm utterly convinced.
From this day on, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to serve you."
Yan Lingji looked at him. The mockery in her peach-blossom eyes neither faded nor gave way to an immediate reply.
The air in the room seemed to freeze. Only the occasional birdsong came from outside the window.
Yet this only made Ning Fengzhi even more anxious.
Chen Xin spoke up.
"Your Majesty, there's something I'd like to say. I don't know whether I should."
Before you continue