Ge Long's Move, Nuoding City Will Be Impenetrable!

Xue Qinghe took the intelligence report from Emperor Xue Ye with both hands and lowered his eyes to read it.

The yellowed paper contained only a few lines of text, yet he read it very slowly.

In truth, he had received this intelligence long before it was ever delivered to the palace.

However, every subtle change in his expression at this moment was perfectly measured, as if he were reading the news for the first time, leaving not a single flaw to be found.

A few minutes later, Xue Qinghe gently folded the report and looked up.

His gaze fell upon Emperor Xue Ye's sickly face.

"Your Majesty, this son believes—"

He paused, his voice steady yet tinged with a certain heaviness.

"The news of this Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone appearing is a great blessing for most, but for our Heaven Dou Empire, it is a calamity."

The statement was quite pessimistic, even somewhat of a damper.

Yet, upon hearing this, Emperor Xue Ye did not rebuke him; instead, he lifted his chin slightly, a glimmer of appreciation appearing in his somewhat clouded eyes.

"Continue."

He tightened the thick fox-fur cloak around his shoulders and gestured for Xue Qinghe to proceed.

"Nuoding City is located on the border, a place where all sorts of people already mingle. Now that news of the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone has spread across the continent, countless Soul Masters are flooding in from all directions. With all walks of life gathering in one city, the slightest carelessness could trigger a riot."

Xue Qinghe's voice was not loud, his pace was measured, and his logic was exceptionally clear.

"But more than the unrest of the Soul Masters, this son is concerned about the Star Luo Empire."

He raised his eyes, looking straight at Emperor Xue Ye.

"Nuoding City sits right on the border line. Once chaos erupts, the Star Luo Empire will surely seize the opportunity to strike. If we are not careful, Nuoding City will be set ablaze by the flames of war."

Emperor Xue Ye did not speak, merely nodding slightly to signal him to continue.

"Does the Crown Prince have a sound strategy?"

He leaned forward slightly, his back straightening a little from where he had been resting against the couch.

"This son suggests sending Marshal Ge Long with one hundred thousand troops to Nuoding City."

Xue Qinghe spoke clearly, his tone resolute.

"On one hand, having Marshal Ge Long stationed in Nuoding City will maintain order and prevent Soul Master riots. On the other, it will strengthen the defense of the border, leaving the Star Luo Empire no opportunity to exploit. Marshal Ge Long's reputation precedes him; with him leading the garrison, even if Star Luo harbors ill intentions, they will have to think twice."

Having said this, he stood quietly in place, waiting for Emperor Xue Ye's response.

After listening, Emperor Xue Ye nodded at first, but then shook his head.

"The Crown Prince's idea is indeed a sound strategy."

He spoke with a tone of approval, yet it was not entirely so.

"But you have overlooked one thing."

"I ask Your Majesty to enlighten me."

Xue Qinghe showed no displeasure at having his suggestion rebuffed; he immediately bowed, hands folded in front of him, looking the picture of a respectful listener.

Seeing Xue Qinghe's deferential manner, a smile appeared on Emperor Xue Ye's face, and he seemed quite pleased.

"The Crown Prince has forgotten four words: speed is the essence of war."

As he spoke, Emperor Xue Ye slowly stood up from the couch.

He wrapped the slipping fox-fur cloak tighter around his shoulders and shuffled over to a large map hanging on the side, lifting a withered finger to point at the location of Nuoding City.

"Nuoding City is on the border, thousands of miles away from our Heaven Dou City. If we follow your plan and have Ge Long mobilize one hundred thousand troops, the mere gathering of provisions and supplies would take days, and the army's march would be even slower. By the time Ge Long arrives in Nuoding City, the opportunity will have long since passed. How could we speak of seizing the initiative then?"

He paused, turning to look at Xue Qinghe, his tone carrying the certainty and composure of an old emperor.

"Therefore, I intend to have Ge Long travel alone. With his strength as a Soul Douluo, he can travel at full speed and reach Nuoding City from Heaven Dou City in no time. Once he arrives, the situation in Nuoding City will be half-stabilized."

"As for the troops—"

Emperor Xue Ye's hand moved from the direction of Nuoding City to point directly at the Balak Kingdom to the right.

"I will grant him a Tiger Tally to mobilize the guards of the Balak Kingdom nearby. The military strength of the Balak Kingdom ranks first among the four great kingdoms; it is more than enough to maintain order in a single city."

"In this way, we avoid the trouble of mobilizing a massive army while still controlling Nuoding City immediately, all without delaying the defense of the border."

As he reached this point, his voice rose slightly, and a long-absent sharpness flashed in his clouded eyes.

"The moment Ge Long appears on the walls of Nuoding City with his troops, even if the Star Luo Empire truly has designs, the sight of his banner will make those thoughts vanish into smoke."

Xue Qinghe listened quietly, but his gaze fell upon another location on the map.

He did not immediately agree, but instead frowned slightly. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out to point at a city on the north side of the Border Mountains.

"Mobilizing the guards of the Balak Kingdom to hold Nuoding City is indeed a sound strategy, but this son has one more concern—"

His fingertip tapped lightly on the map.

"Withdrawing those guards will leave the Balak Kingdom's defenses thin. If the Star Luo Empire does not attack Nuoding City, but instead takes a different path, breaking through the Border Mountains to attack Suotuo City, how should we respond?"

Xue Qinghe's finger rested on the location of Suotuo City, his tone filled with genuine worry.

"Suotuo City is situated on a plain with no natural defenses to hold. If the Star Luo Empire's army were to cross the Border Mountains, they would be met with nothing but flat, fertile plains. At that point, the undermanned Suotuo City would be nothing more than meat on a chopping block. Once Suotuo City falls, the Star Luo army could drive straight in, piercing deep into the heart of our Heaven Dou."

His brow furrowed even tighter, and his tone grew heavy and somber.

"The Crown Prince has considered this very thoroughly."

After listening, Emperor Xue Ye did not show the slightest hint of displeasure; instead, he smiled.

"However, you have overestimated the people of the Star Luo Empire. The Border Mountains reach an altitude of nearly three thousand meters. They are desolate, covered in year-round snow that never melts, and are impassable even to birds; there are barely any hunting trails up the slopes. It is difficult enough for a Soul Master to cross them alone, let alone a large-scale army. It is impossible for them to get through."

Emperor Xue Ye clasped his hands behind his back and looked back at the map.

The candlelight reflected off his profile, casting his deep wrinkles in sharp relief between light and shadow.

"Even the Soul Master legions of Martial Soul Hall could not cross from there. On this point, Your Highness may rest assured."

Xue Qinghe remained silent for a moment.

Then, he bowed low, hands folded, and offered a deep salute.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Emperor Xue Ye nodded, wrapped his fox-fur cloak tighter around himself, and shuffled back to the daybed to sit down.

His health was truly not what it once was; after standing for only this short while, his breathing had already become shallow. He leaned against the cushions to recover for a moment before speaking again.

"Furthermore, I intend to send a prince to accompany Ge Long."